Women at War: The Fauquier County Homefront to be offered Sept. 23

Women at War: The Fauquier County Homefront to be offered Sept. 23 with a tour to follow of Avenel

The Mosby Heritage Area Association is pleased to announce their “Women at War: The Fauquier County Homefront” program on September 23rd from 2:00-5:00pm beginning at the Afro-American Historical Association, 4243 Loudoun Avenue, The Plains, VA 20198. The program will conclude with a tour of nearby Avenel, home to the Beverly family during the Civil War.

For four long years Fauquier County lay in the path of vast armies as they moved through northern Virginia. For the civilians on the home front every day existence could be a challenge as they faced shortages of all kinds, as well as the ever-present threat of theft and property destruction.  The upheaval of war, however, also brought with it the prospect of freedom for the enslaved community. By 1865 Fauquier County had been stripped bare and the social order upended.

Join MHAA as we welcome historians Alison Herring and Madeleine Ramsey to take a detailed look at Fauquier County during the Civil War. Learn how the war affected civilians at all levels through the writings of those who lived through this tumultuous time.  Ms Herring is researching the Powell family letters as well as the enslaved family of the Powell family. Dr. Ramsey recently completed her dissertation at the University of Arkansas on Fauquier County during the Civil War. For more information please go to the Association’s web site at: www.mosbyheritagearea.org or call 540-687-5578.

Tickets are $30 for MHAA members and $40 for nonmembers. A tour of historic Avenel in The Plains will conclude the day, the home of the Beverley family during the war. Built c. 1842, it played host to prominent officers during the war, including Robert E. Lee.