The Celebration of Life for Olivia Grace Clatterbuck that had been scheduled for Sept. 4 at the Washington Fire Hall has also been postponed due to the recent COVID-19 outbreaks in Rappahannock County.

Over the years, in my Washington column, I have expressed feelings of sympathy many times for people who have passed away in Rappahannock County. I never once imagined that I would ever be writing a column such as this in regards to my precious granddaughter. My heart aches. Something I will never get over.

I always think that summer is finally winding down, farmers getting their last cut of hay, Halloween displays are already in some of the stores! Last week was a harbinger of fall, if not a teaser, with the blue sky and white fluffy sheep clouds in the sky and cool temperatures early in the mornings. For some people I am sure that summer has just started for them, but for me I always think of fall just around the corner when I see Roger Jenkins’ stand open in Sperryville. I’m sure there will be some more hot days in the forecast, for example this week. Overall, I am ready to switch gears here to welcome the autumn weather, shorter days and cooler nights.

I always knew him as Pete. He was a good man with a kind heart, who loved taking care of stray cats. On my road, stood an old shed where stray cats made their home.

Edna Pearl Chapman once said: Loved ones may leave this world, but they never leave our hearts. Our community is deeply saddened by the death of John Marshall Clark Jr., 76, of Washington, who died on Friday, July 23, at his home.

This Friday, July 23, from 1 p.m.to 5 p.m. the Book Barn at 4 Library Road, Washington, will host an open house in honor of Lois Snead. Lois helped found the Book Barn.

Our community is deeply saddened by the death of Lois Doran Snead and Patricia Ann Foster Jenkins. Rappahannock has lost two rare jewels that can never be replaced. 

The Child Care and Learning Center held a luncheon to welcome newly hired Department of Social Services Director Gail Crooks at Trinity Episcopal Church on June 22.

There were three churches in the town of Washington during the first half of the 1800s. Around 1815, a building was erected on town lot 18 that served as the Old Free Church.

The town had been without a resident physician for many years until 1974, when Werner Krebser, M.D., and Jerry Martin, M.D., purchased a 0.871-acre parcel straddling town lots 42 and 43. Krebser and Martin obtained permission from the Washington Town Council to build a full-time medical clinic on the property and, in January 1975, the new brick building housing the Rappahannock Medical Clinic was opened.

There is a brand new trophy in the trophy case at Rappahannock County High School. It has a statue of a girl running on it and it says “Skyline District Champions 1978.” The Rappahannock Varsity girls track team brought good news back with them from JMU.

In 1850, Robert Mackey Heterick paid Sarah Booker of Wayne, Indiana $15 for a 1.5-acre lot in the town of Washington. The property, located at 417 Middle Street, is still owned by his descendents. Heterick was born in Frederick County, Va., in 1810.

Built of brick in 1834, the courthouse was constructed with double front doors and deep recessed windows. Some of the windows were originally false to give the building a more uniform appearance from the outside. 

In the early 1920s, African Americans in Rappahannock County’s Hampton District organized the Parents’ Civic League with the intent to erect a public school building for their children, who were excluded at the time from attending school with white children.

Feb. 4, 1998: John and Libby Byam became the new owners of the Foster-Harris House when they bought the property from Phyllis Marriott in December. “We enjoy being home and sharing our home with others,” said Libby.

R. H. Ballard is having a sale in the shop and on the website this weekend May 28-31, with 30 to 50 percent off select items throughout the shop, including vintage items, tablecloths, placemats, towels, home decor, puzzles and children’s items. Rugs will be 20 percent off. If locals purchase online, they can choose local pickup and receive free shipping.

In 1964, more than fifty people met at the Rappahannock County courthouse to organize the Rappahannock Historical Society. Judge Raynor Snead chaired the meeting, and William Carrigan and Dorothy Davis helped explain the reasons for the formation of the society.

This building is located on the eastern half of the original town lot 22. On 12 May 1856, Tamar Spiller sold lot 22 to Robert Deatherage and Robert S. Bell, trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Washington, for $350. The deed specified that the eastern half of the lot, measuring 132 feet along Gay Street and 82.5 feet along Calvert Street, should be held by Deatherage and Bell in their capacity as trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Washington for the purpose of establishing “a house of worship for the use and benefit of the said church.”

The whole upstairs of the Washington School could be converted to a dance hall, and dances also took place on the second floor of Thornton’s Garage. The expansive upper space in Thornton’s building evolved into the town’s first community entertainment and recreational center. Over time, there was a barroom, poolhall, poker and cardroom, dance hall, basketball court and a theater to show movies. 

After many petitions to the Virginia General Assembly, Madison became a new county in 1792, but it was not until 1833 that petitions, counter petitions and political maneuvering resulted in the creation of Rappahannock County.

On Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at Rappahannock County Park, 7 Park Lane,  join the Rappahannock County Recreational Facilities Authority (RCRFA), Rappahannock County Park Foundation, Friends of the Rappahannock, Piedmont Environmental Council, Old Rag Master Naturalists, Rappahannock Fauquier Master Gardeners, and local volunteers as they clean up the Rush River to ensure its safety for our community.

CCLC welcomes Book Club donation

Baldwin’s Grocery has a new face working at the store: Lori-Anne Moss of Castleton. She has been in the cashier business for five years. I got to know her when she work at Hillsdale. With Ashley Mills showing her the ropes at Baldwin’s, she will catch on fast.

Several churches in Rappahannock County will hold sunrise services this Easter Sunday.

In 1935, a new waterworks system provided potable water to the town, and that led to the organization of the first Washington Volunteer Fire Department. Franklin Clyde Baggarly was elected chief of the new department and was asked by the Town Council to develop a constitution and bylaws. 

Join Gay Street Gallery this Saturday, March 20, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for a Virtual Artists’ Talk. The event will showcase the gallery’s newest exhibition featuring Barbara Heile, a Rappahannock resident who is well known both locally and nationally. This is her first show at Gay Street Gallery and they are very excited to be presenting her new, non-objective work. 

Look! Up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s … a kite! March is traditionally the month for kite flying in my family. Let’s get ready to fly them high.

By the year 1930, Rappahannock County had struggled through the chestnut blight, the loss of many apple crops from frost and the clear-cutting of the mountains whose woods had provided major income to many families. The brutal drought of the early 1930s and the Great Depression were two more blows to this rural population. 

The Book Barn is happy to announce that it will be reopening on Saturday, March 6. Temporarily the hours will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please come by to select reading material for the rest of the winter. There are lots of books, CDs, and DVDs available at great prices. Please wear masks and practice social distancing. Hope to see you there!

In 1861, Virginia seceded from the Union. Which is not to say any battles or even skirmishes were fought in the Town of Washington during the Civil War. But the War did not bypass the town. 

Six more weeks of winter weather? That’s what the little groundhogs at the Child Care and Learning Center are predicting, given they saw their shadows on Feb. 2.

The ‘old’ Washington Post Office

Firehouse Fred (our resident groundhog) invites you to our 2021 Grand Reopening of Firehouse Treasures on Tuesday, Feb. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. Come shop and check out all of the great new inventory. They are so excited to reopen and welcome back their awesome customers!

Join Gay Street Gallery this Saturday, Jan. 23, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the Virtual Artists' Talk surrounding the new exhibition featuring Sara Adams, Mike Howat, Doris Jones, Andrew Morgan, Nancy Nord and Kevin H. Adams talking about their work and process.

Happy Birthday Ruby Dwyer

As we turn the pages of the calendar and welcome another year — and decade — there is considerable optimism that 2021 will be better than ever for everyone. It just has to be. Let’s have faith that this COVID-19 will disappear for good and we can get our lives back to normal.

To start the new year right, my late mother-in-law had to cook her black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day. Why do you eat black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day? If you’ve never heard of the tradition, it’s likely that you’re not very close with people raised in the South.

Santa is making sure that Rudolph has his mask on right before making his delivers.

My grandchildren, Olivia and Roman Clatterbuck got to see Santa on Sunday when their dad and mom took them through the drive-thru Santa event in Little Washington

With most of us now shifting our focus to Christmas it’s a good time to shop locally. In Washington, nice gift selections await that special person at R. H. Ballard Art, Rug & Home, The Inn at Little Washington’s gift shop, Geneva Welch Gallery, Middle Street Gallery, and other shops.

It’s Thanksgiving, and for most of us this holiday conjures up memories or anticipation of such traditions as the huge turkey dinner with dressing, cranberry sauce, famous pumpkin pie and somebody accomplishing the carving. It’s a time we travel “over the river and through the hollows” to celebrate with family and friends.

The senior angels are going up for grabs starting this Thursday, Nov. 19. They will be on display at the Washington School, 567 Mt. Salem Avenue. Use the side entrance near the Rapp at Home office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Details and instructions can also be found at the Washington School.

On a gorgeous sunny and warm autumn Sunday, Nov. 8, Tom and Cole Johnson welcomed sixty Trinity parishioners to their beautiful mountain top on Red Oak mountain for the Trinity's Harvest Festival Service.

There was a "Boo Trail" set up by the School Age Club children, free hot dogs, sunbutter sandwiches, apples and hot apple cider which was donated by Lee's Orchard. With the help of many this event for over 125 children was a big hit!

The Child Care and Learning Center hosted an opening ceremony for Nini’s House this past Saturday and 65 of CCLC’s sponsors braved the rainy weather to attend.

The Child Care and Learning Center would like to give a big thank you to our Volunteer Washington Fire and Rescue Department. On Thursday Oct. 22, the devoted first responders visited the center to talk with the children, in doing so complimenting the preschool’s fire safety curriculum.

Planting trees