Founding of Henricus Commemorated During Publick Days on September 15-16

On Friday, September 14, Henricus Historical Park hosted a welcome reception for Publick Days and dedicated the Drumwright Education Fund in honor of recently retired Henrico Deputy County Manager, George T. Drumwright, Jr. The Drumwright Education Fund will enhance the Henricus Foundation’s ability to meet increasing demand from area Title I schools for SOL-aligned education programs. A number of local officials attended the Friday night reception including incoming Henrico County Manager, John A. Vithoulkas; Dorothy A. Jaeckle, Bermuda District Supervisor for Chesterfield County; and former Virginia Lt. Governor, John H. Hager among other dignitaries. On Saturday and Sunday, Henricus Historical Park welcomed several thousand visitors to Publick Days which featured more than 100 living history interpreters representing 1611-1917. Visitors could tour 17th-century ship replica, Phoenix, and participate in history and nature pontoon boat tours of the James River. One visitor was so impressed, that she wrote a kind letter with a $1,000 donation. We are pleased that Henricus Historical Park has become the cultural focal point for our region and was recently voted 2012 "Best Park” by readers of Richmond.com. To learn more, visit www.henricus.org or find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Educator Open House at Henricus Historical Park This Week

Please join Henricus Historical Park for a complementary Educator Open House on Thursday, August 23 from 1 until 4:30 p.m. Public, private and home school teachers are invited to experience education at Henricus through a variety of hands-on demonstrations including crafts for children. Throughout the year, the living history museum offers multi-curricular, SOL-aligned history, math and science programs for pre-K through grade 12. Topics for upcoming programs include Virginia Indian and Colonial English history, the Civil War, archaeology, 17th-century sciences and the James River, among others. Tours of the historic site will be available and activities will be demonstrated in the classroom. Admission is free and light refreshments will be provided. Immediate family members are welcome to attend. Registration is recommended by contacting Victoria Sweeney in the education department at (804) 318-8797 or sweeneyv@chesterfield.gov.

Henricus Welcomes New Historical Interpreter to Virginia Indian Site

This July Henricus Historical Park welcomed Jessica Fields as Historical Interpreter in the Virginia Indian site. She will be responsible for interpreting the way of life of Powhatan Indians in the re-created village of Arrohateck. Virginia Indian culture had a significant impact on neighboring English settlers living at the Citie of Henricus beginning in 1611. Fields will introduce visitors to canoe-making, planting and cooking in addition to tours of furnished longhouses, known as “yehakins,” for extended families. In 2010, the Virginia Indian site was expanded to include new yehakins; ramadas or lean-tos; fireplaces and hide frames; and plantings such as rustica tobacco and other native species. Fields will offer demonstrations for daily visitors, students participating in SOL-aligned education programs and during special events and camps. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from Longwood University with archaeological experience on woodland Indian sites around Virginia. To learn more about Virginia Indian life at Henricus, visit www.henricus.org.

Openings on History & Nature Boat Tours of the James River

Openings are available on Saturday, August 4 and Saturday, September 1 at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. for history and nature boat tours of the James River. Tours take place on the Discovery Barge II, a covered 24-foot boat captained by Mike Ostrander of Discover the James, an established provider of educational eco-tours and fishing trips. Excursions will feature local wildlife and 17th-century through modern day history at Henricus and Dutch Gap. Participants will step back in time and explore the habitats of native bald eagles and listen to stories of 12-foot sturgeon fish among other fascinating aspects of the James River. All excursions last 45-minutes and begin at the floating dock at Henricus Historical Park. Each tour costs $25 per person and children under six years of age are not permitted. Registration is required by calling (804) 318-8728. Payment is required at the time of registration. Tickets may then be picked up at least one hour before the tour at the visitor center at Henricus. For more information about Henricus Historical Park, voted 2012 Best Park by readers of Richmond.com, visit www.henricus.org.

Henricus Historical Park Breaks Ground on Re-Created Church & Meeting Hall

On Monday, May 7, dignitaries gathered to break ground on the re-created 1611 colonial Church & Meeting Hall at Henricus Historical Park. In colonial culture, the church structure was the focus of civic activity within the settlement and served as a place of worship, court of law and meeting space. At the event, major donors were recognized including the Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, Windsor Foundation and counties of Henrico and Chesterfield. Honorary Town Architect, Thomas K. McLaughlin, Jr., who passed away in January, was thanked for his many contributions including the design of Mt. Malady, Rocke Hall, Ordinary and Church & Meeting Hall. McLaughlin’s family was presented with resolutions from Henrico and Chesterfield counties along with a commemorative shovel from the chair of the Henricus Foundation. Following the groundbreaking ceremony, lunch was served to more than 100 guests during entertainment from Kelly Kennedy & Friends.

Calling All Educators!

Please join Henricus Historical Park for the following free events for teachers, administrators and home school educators this week. Please contact Victoria Sweeney in the education department with any questions (804) 318-8797 or sweeneyv@chesterfield.gov.

Teacher Open House
Thursday, April 19, 2012 (3-6 p.m.)
Educators and administrators including immediate family are welcome to attend. Experience education at Henricus Historical Park through a variety of hands-on demonstrations including children's crafts. Historic site will be open for tours. Light refreshments provided. Free admission.

Home School Open House
Friday, April 20, 2012 (1:30-5 p.m.)
Educators and administrators including immediate family are welcome to attend. Experience education at Henricus Historical Park through a variety of hands-on demonstrations including children's crafts. Historic site will be open for tours. Light refreshments provided. Free admission.

For more information about camps and education programs at Henricus Historical Park, please visit www.henricus.org.

Remembrance Day Ceremony for Lives Lost at Henricus During 1622 Virginia Indian Offensive

Today, Henricus Historical Park conducted a Remembrance Day Ceremony to pay homage to the lives lost at the Citie of Henricus during the Virginia Indian Offensive on March 22, 1622. During the ceremony, the Cross of Saint George flag representing England was raised and lowered to half-mast. A wreath was laid to remember the colonial and Virginia Indian lives lost. Names of the dead from Falling Creek, Colledge Lands, Sheffield's Plantation, Pierce's Plantation and Henrico Island were read aloud. A total of 65 people or 20-25% of the Virginia Colony population died during the raid. Names of the Virginia Indians who lost their lives are not known but were remembered. Bagpipes and a moment of silence closed the ceremony. Additional information about the 1622 Virginia Indian Offensive will be presented during an event at Henricus on Saturday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a candlelight tour from 7-8 p.m. Please visit http://www.henricus.org/ for additional information.

Charles Lewis Grant Named Executive Director of Henricus Historical Park

The Henricus Foundation with Chesterfield and Henrico Counties are pleased to announce that Charles Lewis Grant has been named Executive Director of Henricus Historical Park after a nationwide search. Grant served as acting executive director since July 2010 and throughout the site's 400th commemoration. He previously served as operations manager of the living history museum for two years.

"It is an honor to represent the second successful English settlement in North America and educate visitors about the significance of the Citie of Henricus," said Grant. "I'm proud of the diverse talent, rich history and beautiful natural surroundings at Henricus Historical Park and the Dutch Gap Conservation Area."

During his tenure, Grant directed and managed the planning, operation and coordination of programs, staff and facilities. Prior to Henricus Historical Park, Grant served as president of Custom Collectibles, Ltd., and senior project manager at The American Historical Foundation. Grant has undergraduate and master's degrees from Radford University and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, respectively.

Henricus Historical Park Bids Farewell and Thanks to Architect Tom McLaughlin

Henricus Historical Park mourns the loss of Mr. Thomas Kesler McLaughlin, Jr., who died at home on January 5, 2012, after two years of treatment for non-Hodgkins lymphoma. McLaughlin served as town architect at Henricus Historical Park and designed several of the re-created colonial structures. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, sister and brother-in-law, among his extended family. A memorial service will be held at the Branch House, 2501 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Va., 23220 on January 10, 2012, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Here is a link to his obituary from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:
www.legacy.com/obituaries/timesdispatch/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-kesler-mclaughlin&pid=155403552

John Pagano Named “Employee of the Year” by Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation

On December 16, John Daniel Pagano, historical interpretation supervisor at Henricus Historical Park, was named "Employee of the Year" for 2011 by the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation. Pagano was nominated by Charles Lewis Grant, acting executive director of the living history museum. Grant selected Pagano for his instrumental efforts in helping the counties of Chesterfield and Henrico with the 400th anniversary of the Citie of Henricus. Pagano designed, choreographed, recruited and implemented special programs to highlight the unique "firsts" that occurred at Henricus. Four of the events were new and Pagano developed innovative ways to present these topics to the public. He single-handedly recruited 125 historical interpreters for the site's 400th commemoration during Publick Days in September. Throughout the year, Pagano represented Henricus in dozens of media interviews and at various public appearances. He became the historical interpretation supervisor at Henricus Historical Park in 2007. Pagano is a trained special education teacher and has worked as an actor and historical consultant on hundreds of films.