Visit “Haunted Henricus” Event for Modern and Historic Ghost Stories

At Henricus this weekend, storytellers will relive English and Virginia Indian ghost stories. In addition, experts from Transcend Paranormal (aka R.I.P. Ghost Hunters) will share findings of recent paranormal activity at Henricus. Specialists have visited Henricus several times and captured a misty figure on video, experienced objects moving and discovered Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs) in virtually every building onsite. EVPs have been recorded of people speaking, furniture dropping and cannons firing. Experts from Transcend Paranormal utilize electromagnetic field detectors, cameras, camcorders and voice recorders when conducting research. See proof of ghost activity at "Haunted Henricus: Things That Go Bump in the Night" this weekend (reservation required: (804) 748-1613). For more information, visit http://www.ripvirginia.com/.

Thomas Dale Students Get Behind-the-Scenes Movie Tour at Henricus

On Friday, October 14, nine drama students at Thomas Dale High School (TDHS) got a behind-the-scenes tour of the "To Have and To Hold" movie set at Henricus. Students were given the opportunity to learn how a large-scale move is made including meet-and-greets with the film's director, producer and stars and a glimpse into the wardrobe, make-up and catering facilities for the movie. TDHS is home to Chesterfield County's Visual and Performing Arts Specialty Center for students highly interested or talented in music, theater, dance or visual arts. "To Have and To Hold" is a colonial-era movie based on a best-selling American novel written in 1900. Filming at Henricus will conclude this week.

Set Design Underway at Henricus for "To Have and To Hold" Movie Filming

Crews have begun designing the set for the "To Have and To Hold" movie filming at Henricus. So far, an enormous gate and palisade have been created behind the Court de Guard and in front of the forge. Mount Malady has been transformed from a hospital into a church with pews, new landscaping and a steeple to be added shortly. A huge haystack has been built near the carpentry shop and period props have been placed around the Historic Citie for various scenes. The crew set up a base camp for the film production including tents and trailers in the unpaved parking lot. Henricus Historical Park will be closed to the general public from October 3-19 for the filming. Previously scheduled school field trips will take place as planned along with "School of the Musketeer" on October 7-9. People are encouraged to visit Henricus.org for further updates and additional details.

Virginia Society Children of the American Revolution Donates to Virginia Indian Site

On September 16, Henricus Historical Park received a donation from the Virginia Society Children of the American Revolution (VSCAR) for $3,000. The funds will be used to maintain the “Yehakins,” or longhouses, in the Virginia Indian site. The undertaking was led by Laura Shelton, past president of VSCAR (2010-2011), as her state project. As a resident of Chesterfield with a strong interest in American Indian culture, Shelton felt compelled to help a local organization dedicated to the preservation of the pre-revolutionary period. To raise funds, Shelton traveled around the state to local chapters informing them about the educational mission of Henricus Historical Park. She sold t-shirts, conducted raffles and accepted donations. Local societies supported her project with fundraisers they conducted as well. Shelton presented the check to the Henricus Foundation during a reception to welcome Godspeed from Jamestown Settlement for Publick Days and the site’s 400th anniversary. She is a member of the William Byrd Society, a local chapter of VSCAR.