The Valley Magazine
‘BORN TO BE
MONACAN’ How one Indigenous community in the Valley are working to preserve their nation
ORGANIC IN THE VALLEY
SUBROSA
SUPPER CLUB
GIRLS ON
THE RUN
Vol. 45, 2023
INSIDE 6
Mt. Crawford Creamery Mt. Crawford Creamery has been in business since 1952, and they haven’t slowed down since.
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Downtown Winchester
In the heart of a Valley city, Old Town Winchester holds historical sites, stores and restaurants.
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Student archaeology
JMU students dig into Valley history to uncover the untold stories of enslaved people and bring about better representation.
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Luray Caverns
Historical caverns bring together community and opportunities in nature by expanding ADA-accessibility
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The Little Grill A Harrisonburg staple is being revived by a local with a deep love for the restaurant
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MEET THE STAFF 4
Back (from left to right): Sophie DiFrancesco (photo editor and writer, Jacquelyn Himmel (articles editor and writer), Lauren Kuhno (staff writer) Middle (from left to right): Carolynn Unger (staff writer), Emma Johnson (staff writer), Madi Rohm (creative director and writer), Savannah Reger (photographer) Front (from left to right): Sarah Herring (photographer), Haley Huchler (articles editor and writer), Ashley Anderson (assistant creative director), Katie Dunn (graphic designer and writer), Ashlyn Campbell (editor-in-chief) Not pictured: Ayanna Curry (managing editor)
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from cow to cup
written by LAUREN KUHNO photos by SAVANNAH REGER The cows lined up in the stalls like the seasoned pros they are. Milking machines are attached to each cow’s udders and electric vacuums send gallons of milk into large containers that will ultimately be sent through a process of pasteurization. The surprisingly pleasant, sweet smell of milk fills the air and the farmers' work boots squeak in the layer of milk that escaped to the floor. It’s easy to walk into a grocery store and get your groceries for the week. You pick up a gallon of milk off the shelf, buy it and drink it. It’s not often that we think about the history behind getting that product into the store. At Mt. Crawford Creamery – a local dairy farm – they’ve lived and breathed the process that gives consumers what they sometimes take for granted, for generations. For brothers and current co-owners of Mt. Crawford Creamery, Kenny and Frank Will, the farming business has been in their family since their great-grandfather, Thomas J. Will, bought the land in December of 1924. Frank said that at that time it was a general farm, with cows, pigs and chickens, and they made their money by selling grains. In 1952, their father Melvin Will Jr. and their uncle James L. Will bought and took over the business. They built a dairy farm and started milking cows and selling their products to other businesses. They worked out of that parlor for 25 years until it became “worn out and obsolete,” Frank said and then built the parlor where Mt. Crawford Creamery stands today. After their father suffered a stroke in 1979, Frank and Kenny took over the farm. They ran the farm in a consistent fashion until 2008 when there was a “severe depression and milk prices dropped nearly in half,” Frank said. “We knew that if we were going to stay in business, we were going to have to do something else,” Frank said. “We could either milk twice as many cows, or three times as many, or do something to add value to what we had.” That’s when Frank and Kenny decided that processing and selling milk with their own brand would be the best option. “It’s been a challenge and it has its moments, but it’s been interesting,” Frank said. “We have met people from all over the world. They have stopped in here at one time or another. So, in that respect, it’s been a nice thing.” When you walk onto the farm today, you’re greeted by a cow statue centered in front of their large welcome sign. On the property, there's a storefront stocked with
snacks, meats, milk in numerous variations, ice cream mix, butter and so on. Over 75 cows reside around the property, some that you’re able to walk right up to and pet. Until 2021 when they outgrew their space, Mt. Crawford Creamery housed Smiley’s Ice Cream – a local ice cream shop that used the farm’s products to make their comprehensive list of flavors. Now their home is just down the street, where they still sell products made from their home farm. The creamery also offers tours of their behind-thescenes processes, field-trip opportunities and a chance to get up close and personal with their cows and calves. The process of milking the cows and getting their final dairy products is quite extensive. For Frank and Will, it’s just their everyday. From birthing calves to putting products on the shelves, their small staff handles it all. As well as being sold on property, Mt. Crawford Creamery’s items are available in numerous notable stores throughout Virginia. “We deliver as far south as Lexington and as far north as Luray and New Market,” Frank said. Here in Harrisonburg, Frank said that their products are available in Kroger, Martin’s, Bella Gelato & Pastries and a lot of smaller markets. “People are creatures of habit, and you can be in a store here and you can be in a store just down the street and still do well,” Frank said. “Because if they go into store A, then they’re not going to store B. So, you have to get into as many markets as possible.” Black Sheep Coffee, a local coffee shop in downtown Harrisonburg, has been using dairy products from Mt. Crawford Creamery since it opened in 2015. Chance Ebersold, owner of Black Sheep Coffee, said that they currently order their whole milk, skim milk and heavy cream weekly from Mt. Crawford Creamery. “We decided to use them for two important reasons,” Ebersold said. “They were local and most importantly tasted way better than other milks.” Unlike many dairy products being sold today, Mt. Crawford Creamery’s products are non-homogenized, resulting in a thick cream layer on top of their products. Frank said that this requires some simple shaking before use – notified by their “shake well” sticker on the top of their cartons – and people either love it or hate it. The most rewarding part for Frank “is when people tell you thank you for doing this,” he said. “They appreciate it. They enjoy the milk.” 7
Monacan Nation is one of eight recognized tribes in Virginia, and have continued to teach about their history through the Monacan Indian Nation Museum.
Monacan Indian Nation Native American group in Valley keeps culture and community alive with museum and advocacy 8
Monacan people socializing sometime in the late 1950s or early 1960s. Photo courtesy of Monacan Nation.
Artifacts in the Monacan Indian Nation Museum. written by EMMA JOHNSON photos by SARAH HERRING
The roads leading up to the Monacan Indian Nation Museum are narrow, winding and lined with mountains on either side. “My dad taught me to drive on these roads,” Lou Branham, museum director for Monacan Nation and formal tribal council member and assistant chief, said. “He used to say it was like driving on a snake’s back.” Branham is a storyteller. Her eyes glisten with knowledge of her people’s history and she speaks about her family with a constant smile on her face. Pulling up to the community center, there’s a small
office, museum, playground and schoolhouse. Branham said the playground’s theme is the four nations of the world which her people call the “medicine wheel.” The sacred wheel is colored black, yellow, white and red, representing Earth’s boundaries, like the cardinal directions and the elements. “All of our history consists of the seven and a half acres of land that we currently sit on here,” Branham said. “This is the hub of our community.” Being a part of Monacan Nation is everything to her, she said. It’s all she knows. 9
Monacan Nation, located right outside Amherst County, Virginia, was established as a sovereign nation of Virginia in 1989, one of eight tribes to be recognized in the state. Branham’s father, the first elected chief of Monacan Nation, earned the tribe’s state identification, but Branham’s family worked for another 29 years to earn federal recognition. But relations with the state haven’t been without obstacles. When Monacan Nation went for state recognition in 1989, Walter Plucker, the then-head of vital records and statistics in Virginia, attempted a paper genocide for Native American birth certificates with the hopes of wiping Branham’s people away altogether. Native American was being eliminated as a race on the certificates and replaced with either white or colored. Branham said there was no gray area, you were either light enough to be classified as white or dark enough to be listed as colored. “[The paper genocide] was horrific for our people and if we hadn’t gone for state recognition, we would have never known about it,” Branham said. “It’s the Commonwealth I think Virginia can be a little screwed up in our areas that’s the only statement I would like to make about that.” Monacan Nation’s back-and-forth with the state doesn’t stop there. In 2022, Branham and her community fought against the state to prevent a water supply pump from being placed on their sacred, ancestral ground and historic capital, Rassawek. Branham said, eventually, Sen. Kaine (D) took to the Senate floor and defended Monacan Nation and earned Rassawek recognition as a piece of ancestral land prohibited from being developed. Amherst County has also stood in the way of Monacan Nation’s path to sovereignty. Branham described her mother’s experiences as one of the first 21 applicants to enter Amherst County Public Schools. Branham said the state attempted to put together a $30,000 bond to build a Native American school, which eventually became the Indian Mission School. She said the mission school only offered up to a sixth-grade education, forcing kids like Branham’s mother to begin working on the farms and orchards once they finished their education. “[My mother] said she can still remember, it was still so much racism that the bus drivers would not pick them up,” Branham said. “Even with the ones that did pick them up, they’d have to stand all the way to school because the kids wouldn’t let them sit down.” Branham’s mother ended up quitting school, she said. “She couldn’t take it.” Despite conflicts outside and inside the community, Branham said Monacan Nation’s continued to have an influx of requests to join the tribe. She said they’ve now had to cap their acceptance into the tribe at 2,800 10
members due to the risk of losing the bloodline. “After the federal recognition, it just seemed like people were coming from everywhere to try to reconnect or prove their bloodline, so we ended up closing enrollment,” Branham said. Branham wants to preserve the modern nation and maintain familial relationships that are the foundation of Monacan Nation. She said she feels like the voice and face of her people because she attempts to teach the history and culture of Monacan Nation to the public. “The reason that I do what I do is because my father started this, you know,” Branham said. “We were born to be Monacan.” She described growing up on the land surrounding the community center, hunting with her dad and laying under the elaborate quilts being knit by elders in the tribal hall. Branham said the hardships her people endured, from the state pushing them to the foothills to the paper genocide, have driven her to protect her people’s history and land. “It made me honor my elders, it made me love my family, and the stability and the strength and respect of them,” Branham said. “So, what I do, I still do for that love and that strength in that respect. And I love my family, they are the most beautiful, forgiving people to have had such a hard suffering life here in this county. And for them to come out resilient and prideful means everything in the world to me.” Forgiveness is the number one thing Branham has carried with her in life, a moral her mother instilled in her. She said her mother always described enduring the injustices of the state and county as part of her walk, something she had to go through in order to bring her people to where they are today. “How beautiful is that? ‘I forgive,’” Branham said. “[My mother] said ‘those kids didn’t know except for what they were taught.’” Branham said the desire for her people to still want to be a part of the community and to help others outside of Monacan Nation says a lot about the character of her people. “They are beautiful, the land is beautiful. The museum is small and quaint, but it’s very powerful. I’m trying to hold on to what’s most important to us, and that’s the surrounding lands here, our sacred lands and our cultural beliefs and our history,” Branham said. Branham said it’s very important to Monacan Nation that schools teach about Native Americans. “Our children are coming home and saying they learned a lot about Powhatan and Pocahontas,” Branham said. “So, we haven’t evolved from that, the world evolves, but we haven’t evolved from that.” For now, Branham wants to continue to make people aware that Native Americans still exist in Virginia, that they’ve always been here and will continue to be here.
Lou Branham, the museum director for the Monacan Nation, stands in a log cabin that once functioned as a church and later as a school for the Monacan Nation.
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GIRLS ON
THE RUN
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Local nonprofit helps young girls access exercise and learn vital skills written by AYANNA CURRY photos by SOHPIE DIFRANCESCO
As the sun shines and wind blows, shrieks of laughter fill the air. The quick sounds of sneakers hitting the pavement echoes from the blacktop as girls run back and forth racing each other. The noise shifts as the girls break off into their separate teams to complete miniexercises planned to give them guidance on real-life situations they may face in life. Girl’s on the Run (GOTR), a non-profit program gives young girls from third to eighth grade the opportunity to be open, active and free. Nowadays, kids are eager to return home after the school day ends so they can grab a snack and watch TV, but there are also kids like Yanira Sharp whose favorite part of the day is being able to do “all the running [she] can do.” After school,
GOTR holds a 40-minute practice where the girls prepare for the 5k held at the end of each season. At the beginning of the season the initial goal is to complete the 5k, and as time moves on the girls set new goals to achieve every day. John C. Myers Elementary school guidance counselor and coach for GOTR Amy Hull said since the majority of their time is spent on running, it's their job as coaches to push the girls to “keep moving” toward their goals whether they’re at a turtle’s pace or have the speed of a cheetah. In those 40 minutes, the girls strive to complete their desired amount of laps and are encouraged to keep up with their peers. Outside of the physical aspect, it’s a program that aligns with the need for mentorship for girls who aren’t granted the same tools at home to build themselves up. “We envision a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams,” the mission statement reads. Annoica Ingram, the executive director for GOTR in the Shenandoah Valley, said the purpose of the organization is to teach girls important life lessons and skills to prepare them for the future. “Once I heard of what Girls on the Run is and what it does, I looked back at my [upbringing] and it’s like you wish you had that program as a kid,” Ingram said. She felt it was important to help other girls and give them the tools they need to get through life. Ingram majored in biology during her college years, so being a part of a non-profit was “never on [her] horizon.” She began volunteering 10 years ago when GOTR first started in the Valley. In 2011, the Girls on the Run Shenandoah Valley Council was chartered making her one of the first coaches in the area. She returned to coach for every season since. “I’ve coached probably 200 girls throughout my entire time,” Ingram said. She enjoyed it so much that when COVID-19 brought the world to a halt, she still wanted to contribute. “I went to the director and asked if she needed help with anything because I was home and didn’t have any other things to do because I was a stay-at-home mom,” Ingram said. “Next thing I knew, she asked if I was interested in being the director because she wanted to retire; I said ‘yes,’ and I’ve been the director ever since.” 13
Ingram became executive director in January 2021, she was eager to help young girls, realizing that she could not not be a part of it. She felt like this was her chance to have an impact. She wasn’t seeking a job, she said, but she ended up with one. “It’s more of a passion instead of a job,” Ingram explained. “I believe so much in what the program does for the girls; being a female these days is kind of hard, so I just want to help and make sure others don’t go through what I had to go through.” During the program, the girls are taught how to be good friends — to choose good friends. They learn conflict resolution and how to deal with bullies, help others, and give back to their communities. All while preparing to run a 5k. Hull describes GOTR as an organization that “empowers girls to become strong leaders, strong advocates for themselves, and to learn how to have confidence in all things that they do.” Hull is one of the four coaches in the program, the others being pre-K teacher Tiffany Sherman, thirdgrade teacher Danielle King and fifth-grade teacher Christin Hensley. Together, they help prepare the girls for the 5k held at the end of each season and divide the lessons to lead the girls in healthy discussions to support them in the program.
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Sherman said what they want most is to be a support system, an encouraging person in their students’ lives. They try to teach them strategies and tools to help them work through those difficult times and emotions that these “kiddos” can go through. Hull works closely with the rest to push the girls to keep their best foot forward. “I wanted to empower girls to get out of their comfort zone and try something they’ve never tried before,” Hull said. “To give them opportunities for an after-school activity that’s [teaching] them how to build self-esteem and empowering them to make healthy lifestyle choices.” “You take a group of girls that are not formed by themselves, and you put them in a melting pot,” Hull said. “They become their own little club, their own little family that supports one another and encourages one another.” The coaches aren’t the only ones in these girls’ corners, they also have the backing of the entire community. Teachers from the schools and the parents all travel an hour out to run with and cheer these girls on. Hull said many of the students aren’t involved in any other extracurriculars, so it’s nice to see their families and communities get involved and engage with the program.
The most engagement comes from the girls needing a running buddy, someone to tag along with them as they run the 3.1-mile race. The combinations are endless. They can run with family, mentors, teachers and coaches — any and all are welcome. King said one year of her students she taught in the third grade didn’t have a buddy to run with. She struggled to find someone to run by her side — that was until she found the perfect buddy. That certain someone was King.
“She didn’t even try to bother finding another running buddy, and it sounded like mom totally would’ve ran with her, but she was like ‘nope, I want to run with Ms. King,” King said. “That made me proud that she wanted to run with me, it was a really sweet moment.” Hull shared a moment when a child’s running buddy couldn’t make it, so her father had to step in. Hull was impressed at how the daughter stepped into her father's shoes as she cheered him on to complete a 5k he had no intention of running that day. “To see the role reversal and the support that our student was giving her [dad] was pretty amazing to watch,” Hull said. Ingram said that a lot of the coaches feel like they get more out of the program than the girls do. The coaches’ favorite part of the season is witnessing these girls grow right in front of their eyes. They watch as they start the season as shy and timid then become confident and empowered. They value getting to know the girls as much as the girls learn from them. “The girls really enjoy it, so it’s rewarding to see them happy and excited to come to practice,” King said. “Girls in the hallway will come up to me like ‘Do we have practice today,’ ‘When’s the next practice,’ so it’s really just fun to see them excited.” “We all have life circumstances we go through, and I want them to know that if they put their minds to it they’re able to accomplish anything they want to,” Hull said. The program stands firm on pushing the girls to understand the importance of making healthy choices that will impact the longevity of their lives and help them gain confidence in things that they don’t think they can accomplish. “It just takes one person to advocate for a child and make a difference in a child’s life,” Hull said. “I feel like with all of these girls, it just takes one positive influence to make a world of change.” 15
written by CAROLYNN UNGER photos by SARAH HERRING What do you think of when you envision a downtown area? You probably think of the stores, the restaurants and big events. No matter the size, every downtown has a comforting feeling whenever you walk through. In the heart of Winchester, Virginia, is Old Town Winchester. The downtown area holds historical sites, stores and restaurants that attracts tourists and Winchester residents alike. The weather can be sunny and warm or cold and windy, there are many ways people can enjoy Old Town. The pedestrian mall, located on Loudon Street downtown, draws the most attention from people visiting, according to Main Street Program Manager, Alex Flanigan. The street is paved and doesn’t allow vehicles to enter, making it easy for pedestrians to walk around safely. “We’re very fortunate in that we have sort of this very strong sense of place when you go to the middle of our downtown,” Flanigan said. Walking down the mall, the street is covered with trees to sit next to. The sound of birds in the trees adds character to the atmosphere. Local musicians occupying a spot to play their instruments fills the air with music. While the street is small, its personality is huge — all due to the area’s unique shops. The majority of the stores downtown are located on Loudon Street. Everything from local, small businesses to entertainment visitors can watch in the Taylor Pavilion. Flanigan described the Pavilion as “an outdoor pocket park and stage area which is made out of the bones of the old Taylor Hotel.” The Taylor Hotel, a big part of Winchester’s history as a hotel and theater before a structural collapse, has since been renovated for the Pavilion as well as having apartments and a restaurant. The amphitheater holds concerts on the first Friday of every month alongside other public events. For those visiting with children, there are plenty of opportunities. During the warm months there’s a splash pad that sprouts water from the ground along with multi-colored lights. They can visit the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley to learn about the history of the valley. The Winchester Book Gallery has books to browse before stopping by Espresso Bar & Cafe for a hot beverage. 16
Old Town Winchester
Downtown Winchester brings charming sites for those looking on a day-trip in the Valley 17
While there are several popular tourist attractions, there are a few places that have become hidden gems. One location in particular: Piccadilly Street. Old Town has been working on bringing the street back after store vacancies and architectural problems. Through targeted renovations and economic support, Piccadilly Street has slowly come out of hiding. Including a public art project that was conducted through the non-profit, Art Libre Inc. VA, and involved artists of all ages. They painted a dozen parking space murals and were paid to do so. They also plan on creating a wall mural. Private investments have also gone toward the businesses on Piccadilly Street. Some have gone to refurbish buildings along with others coming under new ownership. “I think Piccadilly Street has started to come into its own,” Flanigan said. “It’s an area I really encourage people to check out because there’s a lot of really cool businesses on that corridor and there are several more coming in the next few months.” Another notable store on the walking mall is Wilkins’ Shoe Center Inc. Opened in 1947, Wilkins’ has been a 18
staple of the mall. Kendra and Philip Brewer have run the store since 2005, after Kendra had worked there for 17 years under the owner, Wilkins. “He’s still here with us,” Brewer said. “He’s our mentor and friend and he helps us.” Wilkins’ sells shoes for men, women and children in their respective departments. They include a department for dance, which stocks shoes, leotards and tights. The children’s section, as Brewer describes, is small but still alive. “People love to come in for their first walker,” Brewer said. Children getting their first pair of shoes can be a celebration in Wilkins’ with family members coming andtaking pictures of the moment. “It makes my heart feel fuzzy,” said Brewer. “I’ve seen that ever since I started workingmhere.” While there’s concern with the location of the store, Brewer quotes Wilkins in that,“There’s no place he’d rather be than right here.” Events and activities held on the walking mall lead people to come look around the store and then eventually come back to purchase. There
was one woman who had stopped by for a business trip and continues to come back and refers the store to her family. Brewer has several memories of working there, from a child putting a lollipop on a worker’s head after a fitting, to a customer pulling out her dentures and placing it on a chair while she shopped before putting them back in before leaving. What makes Old Town unique is the community within it, which was especially shown during 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. With everything closing down and places looking like ghost towns, Old Town still kept going with some stores remaining open. People would order from the local restaurants or try to support the local shops. “We had extremely low turnover rates. Our vacancy rates are staggeringly low,” Flanigan said. Brewer said she had never
experienced anything like COVID-19 and was grateful for the community outreach. The Winchester Chamber would contact them seeing if they needed any support and people would show up to check in. They would conduct fittings by cars with masks on and make deliveries in a 20 mile radius through live online sales. She describes their employees as their “backbone” and the community as their “heartbeat”. “We wouldn’t be able to survive without our heartbeat and our community,” Brewer said, “that’s why we’re successful and that’s why we’re still here.” Brewer remembers how quiet the street was during that time. The normal sounds of utensils against plates were silent due to restaurants closing. When those sounds returned, Brewer said it was like music. “It’s just something I must have taken for granted but it’s something I’ll never take for granted again.”
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Some farmers in the Valley are turning toward organic farming techniques, here’s why. written by JACQUI HIMMEL photos by SARAH HERRING The Shenandoah Valley is a cornucopia of different agriculturally based practices, with industrial and commercial being the leading representation. Although commercial and industrial practices are more popular, hidden within the valley are farmers going back to their roots and taking an organic approach. Being organic holds a deep rationale for each farmer who dedicates their land to it, but for their customers, eating organic products creates a relationship with the environment. Buying organic foods and other products means knowing where your food comes from and how it was managed, something that becomes more difficult with industrial agriculture. These local, organic farmers, take immense pride in their dedication to providing clean, chemical-free products for their customers to enjoy and benefit from.
Calvin Farms
After surviving lymphoma, Elaine Hoover Nolt felt dedicated to surrounding herself and family with organic foods, including the ones she grows. With the help of her son, Calvin Nolt, she slowly grew their farm from the ground up. Starting with a small booth at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market to sell berries, they have grown into a fully functioning, five acre produce farm. During the younger years of Calvin Farms, Elaine and Calvin Nolt attended conferences and seminars on organic farming to learn everything they could about clean farming. They studied what plants need to thrive, discovering how important it is to focus on the soil to tell you what it needs. “If you’re out of balance, too much of something or not enough of something the weeds can tell you and then you just try to put that back into the soil,” said Elaine Nolt. When Calvin Farms was faced with a weed problem, they looked into what exactly the weed was and why it was growing there. Once they discover the deficiency or excess of a mineral or vitamin, they know to either add or take something out of their soil. Like when their farm was faced with a dandelion infestation, they dug deeper to find the root of the problem, an excess amount of magnesium. Since they could find the source of the dandelions’ presence, Elaine and Calvin Nolt were able to alter their fertilizer to stabilize their soil.
Another significant part of their farm are the High Tunnels, given to them through the High Tunnel Initiative Grant Program by the Natural Resource Conservation Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grant sets up farmers with a long, drip irrigation tunnel to help extend the growing season by improving air quality and regulating temperatures of the season. Since they are able to regulate the tunnels, it allows them to grow different non-seasonal produce, all year-round. Elaine Nolt said that in the agriculture community the USDA “encourages you because they want more people growing produce in this area.” As Calvin Farms continues to grow its produce selection, one thing that will remain constant is it’s prohibited use of herbicides, pesticides and additional chemicals. With their composting, cover crops and soil maintenance, Elaine and Calvin Nolt will ensure clean farming for as long as they are around, not just for the sake of their customers, but for Elaine’s health. Since her diagnosis of cancerand life change to all organic
foods, Elaine’s health has been symptom and side effect free. With the future of Elaine’s health in mind and the influence of organic farming, Calvin Farms will remain free from any harmful chemicals and abundant in produce from all seasons.
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Mary Jo Swartzendruber plants flowers on her farm using organic techniques.
Mary Jo Flowers For Mary Jo Swartzendruber of “Mary Jo Flowers,” practicing organic farming is not only a necessary contribution to a healthier environment, but produces better results. “In terms of what I’m doing as a business, it’s about taking care of the earth and giving back something because my livelihood depends on what I take,” Swartzendruber said. Swartzendruber has always had a special place in her heart for flowers. Wherever she lived, she always prioritized a small plot to garden. It was not until after her teaching career she began volunteering at an organic farm when she decided to pursue it as her passion. In 2005, she moved to Harrisonburg in the Shenandoah Valley, where she started off with a small plot of land and stayed there for 10 years before moving to her current location. Like other farmers, Swartzendruber went through trial-and-error processes to perfect her flowers. She focused on the soil, looking at the pH and rotating 22
planting locations so her flowers could absorb the most nutrients. Since “Mary Jo’s Flowers” doesn’t handle products meant for consumption, becoming certified organic isn’t necessary nor will it impact sales. However, Swartzendruber doesn’t till which is a process of mechanically aerating the soil to help control weeds and pests. Additionally, she does not use chemicals or harmful pesticides, only using and providing a preservative for customers to ensure her flowers last long after being cut. It is now “Mary Jo’s Flowers” nineteenth season growing organically farmed flowers. Swartzendruber sees her work as a way she can give back to the Earth, being as good of as steward as she can. Swartzendruber said that by respecting the Earth and treating it without harm, it not only heals the environment but produces better quality products. Swartzendruber has seen and heard the appraisal from her customers of the vibrant colors and healthy lifespan of her flowers
Portwood Acres Evan Showalter and his family see organic farming as more than just a practice — it connects them with their faith and finding dedication to be good stewards of God’s land. “It’s a stewardship of God’s creation and taking care of our bodies, putting things that God intended into our bodies rather than a bunch of chemicals and processed food,” Showalter said. Showalter bought his first heard in 2011 and began looking into Organic Valley, the nation’s largest farmer-owned organic cooperative, and it’s dairy options, but farming wasn’t new to him. Showalter worked under his father for most of his teenage years, learning everything about dairy farming, before finding inspiration in the book “The Biological Farmer” by Gary Zimmer. He had always harbored an appreciation of pesticide-free farming taught through
his faith, but the book nudged him to pursue organic farming officially. In order to become certified organic there were qualifications that had to be met. Portwood Acres’ land had to be chemical and fertilizer free for three years before it could be considered for certification. They had to transition to completely grass-fed cows, free of growth hormones and antibiotics while also being free from any pesticides in their grass fertilizers. In the meantime, Showalter was kept busy with paperwork, record keeping and outlining the future plans for the farm to maintain the standard of the organic system. With yearly organic inspections, Portwood Acres remains certified organic. They continue to grow their appreciation and dedication to providing clean, antibiotic-free dairy products.
“It’s a stewardship of God’s creation and taking care of our bodies,” Showalter said. Evan Showalter pets one of the farm’s cows that are completely grass-fed
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JMU students conduct field work during Morgan McKinney’s project, digging holes to find any historical artifacts.
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Digging into
HISTORY
JMU archaeology students uncover the stories of enslaved people to paint a more accurate picture of the Valley
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written and photographed by SARAH HERRING The weather is biting cold and the manual labor is tough. Long hours are spent digging into the ground and sifting through piles of dirt in search of culturallysignificant materials. Morgan McKinney is not deterred by the cold or the tedium. She is searching for fragments of history and stories that have not yet been told. Morgan McKinney, an anthropology major at James Madison University, first became interested in archaeology when she was 15. Since then, she’s been working hard to discover lost history. Recently, her eyes have been set on the history of the Shenandoah Valley. “My hope is to find evidence and tell the story of the people that lived there,” Morgan McKinney said. “There’s a story for everyone, and it needs to be told.” Her current project is located in Sperryville, Virginia near her home — a place her family has lived for five generations, according to McKinney’s mother, Jan McKinney. The McKinneys are working to find evidence of quarters that were for enslaved people. Jan McKinney, like her daughter, is fascinated with discovering the hidden or untold stories of others; but while Morgan McKinney’s passion is archaeology, Jan McKinney’s is genealogy. One day, while trying to look into the history of their property, Jan McKinney came across a will and an inventory that was dated back to the 1800s. The inventory included a list of names, and one name, in particular, stood out to Jan McKinney. A 63-year-old enslaved woman named Keziah had a last name that Jan McKinney recognized: Tutt. “Keziah walked the same ground that I walked, and
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nobody knew she was here. She has no voice and I wondered ‘Where are her people?’” Jan McKinney said. “So far, I have discovered 88 descendants in the area and the irony is that I have known some of the descendants for over 20 years and they had no idea and I had no idea that there was this connection.” Audrey Tutt, Keziah’s second great-granddaughter, and Jan McKinney first met while Tutt worked as a superintendent at Page County Public Schools and Jan was a teacher. “Jan and I were not only professional but friendly,” Tutt said. “She got in touch with me about two months ago and she had made a connection on the Tutt side.” Audrey Tutt referred Jan and Morgan McKinney’s project to her nephew, Mel Tutt, and her niece, Amy Tutt. While Amy Tutt is the one more interested in the genealogy side of things, her husband, Mel Tutt, is helping with the research. The Tutt family hopes that as more stories of the past are uncovered and told, more equal representation and widespread understanding will be a result. “More people are opening up to their ancestry, whereas before it was closed,” Amy Tutt said. “More people are opening up and letting other people know the good and the bad, and people are acknowledging it.” Mel Tutt agreed that the “bad needs to be highlighted.” Amy and Mel Tutt met with Jan McKinney on March 27, and beyond expressing their enthusiasm for the project, Amy and Mel Tutt decided to contribute to the research from both a historical and genealogical standpoint.
“My hope is to find evidence and tell the story of the people that lived there,” Morgan McKinney said. “There’s a story for everyone, and it needs to be told.”
The three hope to publish their collaborative research in the future. As for the archaeological side, Morgan McKinney has been working to find further evidence of the quarters and its precise location. “Good archaeology begins with good questions,” Dennis Blanton, JMU anthropology professor, said. “What do we need to know?” Blanton is the professor overseeing Morgan McKinney’s project, and, as his students can attest, he stresses the importance of archaeology projects needing a question to answer. For Morgan McKinney, that question involved “identifying and understanding a building that’s no longer there” and finding out if that building was in fact quarters for enslaved people, Blanton said. In search of these answers, Morgan McKinney has been conducting fieldwork with a group of volunteers almost every Saturday since February 25th. Their fieldwork involves picking specific sections on the site to excavate, digging down into the ground with shovels and sifting through the layers of dirt in search of culturally-significant materials such as brick or clay. After finding these materials, they’re sent back for lab work, where they are scrubbed clean
and packaged for further analysis if they still seem significant. Evidence of a building’s existence has been discovered, but the project is still ongoing. Regardless, Morgan McKinney’s project is bound to reveal an important and unexplored piece of history for the Shenandoah Valley. “There are certain segments in society that are underrepresented,” Blanton said. “And archaeology is about understanding every aspect of that society, not just the rich and powerful.” There are many groups who have had their history silenced, and archaeology is one way to give them a voice, according to Dr. Blanton. And so, Morgan McKinney’s project is about more than discovering a building: It’s about giving a voice to people like Keziah. “It’s my story, and it needs to be told,” Audrey Tutt said. That story, however, doesn’t end during Keziah’s time. It’s a story that’s still ongoing, building upon the past and leading into the future. “Archaeology helps us understand who we are and why we are,” Blanton said. “We can’t explain our current situation without knowing the past.” 27
Caverns for all Luray Caverns expand opportunities in nature by increasing ADA-accessibility written and photographed by SOPHIE DIFRANCESCO
An amber glow creates the feeling of warmth and comfort, even though the cave remains at a steady 52 degrees year-round. With bridges and paths shaped from 400 million-year-old rock, the feeling of a small rock neighborhood emerged, where small gaps formed from crevices in the rock could be your future home, all you need is a bed. Every breath of air feels fresh, bringing in an earthy, natural scent with every inhale. The echoes of conversation in different caves fill the caverns, interrupted by the constant, but random, dripping of water. Although human tenants aren’t allowed to live in the caverns (at least not yet), all enjoy witnessing the earth’s natural beauty in the Luray Caverns as an all-encompassing and magical experience. Over 400 million years ago, the Luray Caverns began to form. Over these millions and millions of years, enormous calcite stalactites and stalagmites began to form in huge underground caverns to create the structures and pathways the caverns show off today. Rocks over 23 times the size of the average human surround guests as they witness the grandiosity of natural creation. Although the Luray Caverns have been in existence for hundreds of millions of years, people weren’t able to experience its beauty until the late 1800s. On August 13, 1878, three men, Andrew J. Campbell, William Campbell, and John “Quint” Campbell, went out searching for a money-making cavern, after hearing about a cavern in Grottoes gaining success. The men stumbled across a sinkhole with cool air seeping to the surface, and they knew they found exactly what they had been searching for. After digging for eight hours, they discovered the Luray Caverns, which are now recognized as the largest cavern in the eastern United States. Within eight months of discovery, the men had built a small shack and started giving tours of their newly discovered cavern. Almost immediately, the Luray Caverns gained international success and were even featured in The New York Herald.
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The caverns span over 64 acres of land — 64 football fields of underground caverns. “We measure our caves by airspace,” said Bill Huffman, director of Marketing and PR of Luray Caverns. This airspace is attributed to the huge chambers formed from an inland sea millions of years ago that spanned from the northernmost point of New York to the southernmost point of Georgia. The dead sea creatures that seeped into the Earth created this limestone, and when the rock was exposed to the acidity in rainwater, over time, the limestone began to erode. This created huge chambers that allow for stalactites and stalagmites to begin formation. As carbon dioxide is added to the dripping water seeping into the caverns from the ground above, hard rock that forms the shape of an icicle begins to hang from the ceilings. With enough pressure from the dripping water, stalagmites from the ground up form an upward-growing mound with rounded tips. Just three years later, in 1881, the historic Luray Norfolk and Western Passenger Station placed a railroad running through Luray making the caverns almost an instant success. The park receives over half a million guests per year. “People come from all over to see the caverns,” Huffman said, creating a “huge cultural and economic impact” on the Shenandoah Valley. News stations like BBC, CNN and even international stations in Japan, have featured stories about the Luray Caverns. This coverage brings in guests from all over the world, with people from over 52 countries coming to visit the caverns every year .this attraction has bought a lot of foot traffic to a small Virginia town. The community is the biggest thing that has grown since the discovery of the caverns. Jane Musto, a New Market resident of 45 years, has personally seen the impact of the caverns on her community. She has seen the community grow with more members from many different places and she has seen the economic impact flourish, with more tourists coming into local shops and restaurants. “Everyone I know has been to the caverns at some point in their time here,” said Musto. “When I went for the first time, I was in shock by how massive the caverns were. It was truly beautiful.” The love community members share for the caverns is evident in the way they speak of the beauty and novelty of the cavern. Musto was able to return to the cavern this year after not being able to go for fifteen years due to the lack of ADA-accessible entrances. Even though the caverns are not fully accessible due to steep hills and wet floors, those who have disabilities can now enter the cave and see the beauty with the addition of ADA-accessible paths and elevators. “We added the new ADA entrances to eliminate the number of steps on the tour, and the last remaining steps were the entrance steps going down, so in 2019 finally all of the technology and the planning caught up with each other and it was finally feasible to do,” Huffman said. “Of course, the caverns themselves are not considered wheelchair accessible, but folks push wheelchairs through, and bring electric scooters all the time. That’s really opened up the caverns for older folks and people in wheelchairs, allowing them to actually access the caverns, which they had a harder time doing before.” Luray Caverns has varied formations inside the caverns including Dream Lake and The Great Stalacpipe Organ. Dream Lake, no more than 20 inches deep, has crystal clear water that reflects the ceiling of stalactites perfectly, creating an optical illusion of a perfectly mirrored ceiling in the water. The Great Stalacpipe Organ is the largest musical instrument in the world, spanning over three acres of caverns. The organ was invented in 1954 by Leland Sprinkle. Sprinkle was a concert pianist who studied at the Peabody Academy. He was also a mathematician and physicist and worked for the Pentagon on the first computer and the Manhattan Project. “He spent about three years going around the caverns with an English tuning fork looking for stalactites that match the musical pitch he was looking for,” Huffman said. Sprinkle found a way to send an electrical impulse and send vibrations from the stalactites to the organ to play music. The caverns have become a staple of the culture in Luray, Virginia. The stunning and sheer beauty of the caverns with crystal clear pools and varied formations, shows just how beautiful nature can be. “You can really see mother nature in action,” Huffman said. “It is one of the most beautiful stunning places you will ever see.” 29
Under the rose
Entrepreneurs introduce locals to the Valley through top sec
written by LAUREN KUHNO photos by SARAH HERRING Two entrepreneurs with similar visions, a small team of staff and 30 strangers walk into an airplane hangar for dinner. There’s no punchline — for Jen Sodikoff and Kirsten Moore, it’s reality. Subrosa Supper Club, co-owned by Sodikoff and Moore, is a dinner club with exclusive events in both “secret” and unique spaces. A supper club is a mix between an intimate dinner party and an outing at a restaurant. They gained popularity in the 1900s and have remained popular in many communities. “We intentionally stay away from your typical wedding venue, or winery, or places that people have already been,” Sodikoff said. “In previous years we’ve done them in photography studios, we’ve done them in airplane hangars, we’ve done them in canaries, in wide30
open spaces and George Washington forests.” The club started as a business venture fr Sodikoff and Moore. After meeting at a Harrisonburg coworking space called The Hub, they realized their creative visions aligned. Their mission: to “bring new faces into new spaces,” Sodikoff said. The club started in 2016, and they were doing about six events a year, Moore said. When the pandemic hit, they were already planning on taking a hiatus as Sodikoff was having her first child and Moore was opening a well-known spot in Harrisonburg, Magpie Diner. After a three-year forced break from the pandemic, Moore said that members were beginning to question when the club would be back.
cret club
Attendees sit and enjoy dinner at a Subrosa Dinner Club event in 2017, at Frank Field, the only operational private airstrip in Rockingham County. Photo courtesy of Subrosa Dinner Club.
“It tugged at our heartstrings,” Moore said. “It was just such an enjoyable thing to create these beautiful, interesting, amazing dinners.” In 2022, they decided to start back up and released tickets for four upcoming events. Each event accommodates 30 people, and there are limits on the number of tickets an individual can buy to promote new connections. Sodikoff shared that all four dates sold out in less than three minutes. “It’s like Taylor Swift level ticket sales,” Moore said. Each event takes extensive planning. Sodikoff styles the space, and Moore handles the food and drink. Sometimes they have a theme in mind and find a space to match their vision and sometimes they come
across great opportunities to use spaces and style the event around it. For a previous event, they had the opportunity to host an event at Madison Automotive Apprentices, a place for JMU students to get hands-on experience in automobile restoration and preservation. Moore said it’s a space that's full of amazing, high-end cars and it’s so spotless that you could “eat off of the floor.” Because the venue was full of Porsches, Moore said she planned an entire Germanthemed menu. “Nobody knew it was there,” Moore said. “People were just so shocked to walk in and be, like, ‘Oh, this is an adult toy store.’” 31
Due to the club's unique event locations, sometimes weather causes the team to adapt at the last minute and accommodate the guests in different ways. “It's part of the unknown for both us and the guests,” Sodikoff said. “For example, the dinner we had in the George Washington Forest. It just happened to rain right on our little area and would not let up. We sent everybody to their cars for a moment hoping that it would pass, and it didn’t, and we had to pivot and find a shelter and it turned from this potentially beautiful, plated dinner to everybody coming together and sharing family style. It was a little bit wet, but it was great. Everybody rolled with it and embraced it.” To be a member of the club, adaptability and willingness for surprise is a huge requirement. When the club originally launched, Sodikoff and Moore created a Facebook page with a link to sign-up and put postcards in spots around Harrisonburg. Keeping in theme with their mission, there wasn’t much information about what this club was going to be. Nicky Swayne, a long-time member of Subrosa Supper Club, initially found out about the club through a flier under her windshield. Swayne said that the postcard had limited information; it said they
were planning a super-secret club, with the intention of a bunch of people having dinner together in a secret location, on a secret date. “The intrigue was created via that postcard,” Swayne said. “I sent an email to their email address and said, ‘I don’t know who you are, but sure, send me more information.” Now, Swayne has attended five of their past events. Her most memorable being a dinner in an empty shipping container facility on the edge of Harrisonburg. “You stood in the dark, but you had some lights,” Swayne said. “It felt a little bit like a mixture of sophistication, mixed together with camping.” Swayne said that she plans on attending more events when she’s back in Harrisonburg. Luckily for her, Sodikoff and Moore have plans in the works for the club, but in their true fashion, are keeping most of these ideas a secret. “We’re starting to get a little broader reach,” Moore said. People are driving in from D.C. and Moore shared that they even have a fan club in Staunton. As for the future of the Subrosa Supper Club, “we are actively seeking partnerships and looking to expand state-wide,” Sodikoff said.
Train conductor Jovan Lopez, walks down a corridor in an Amtrak train. 34
Chuggin’ Along An Amtrak Station in Harrisonburg’s backyard gives a unique glimpse into the scenes and lives of the Valley written and photographed by MADI ROHM
For only $16 you can ride in style from Staunton to Charlottesville while taking in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. The nearest train station is only 22 miles away from the heart of Harrisonburg. For current Harrisonburg residents, the 48-minute drive to the Staunton station is more than worth it for the breathtaking views that the Shenandoah Valley has to offer. From the Blue Ridge Mountains mountains to cascading rivers, taking the train is the perfect affordable way to explore hidden gems across the valley. “I ride the train as much as I can, I usually come up here with a couple of friends each year.” said Barbara Walsh, a regular train goer from Lexington, Virginia, as she is on her way to visit family in upstate New York. Alongside the comfort and beautiful views the train provides, riding the train is the most convenient and environmentally-friendly alternative to driving. Trains
emit between 66 and 75 percent less carbon according to EU Rail. “I like riding the train because you don't have to drive or park a car, it's just way easier to travel,” Walsh said. “You have wifi and comfy seats. Nothing beats it.” Walsh sits on the Blue Ridge Board of Rail Solutions. One of her projects focuses on trying to obtain Amtrak Train Station signs along route I-81 in hopes to increase train travel throughout the Shenandoah Valley. “We have signs along I-81 towards Charlottesville, but none in Staunton,” Walsh said. “No one knows we’re here.” Staunton has allocated a small sum of money for the rail line that goes from Charlottesville to the D.C. area, leaving out the rest of the Valley entirely. “The train is a good way to stay in touch with the rest of the world,” said Walsh. “You can have your dinner in the 35
car with the nice tablecloths and you go through the New River Valley. The only way you can see that scenery is by train or by kayak.” Trains aren't just a great way to travel for adult passengers. The intimate atmosphere and length of the cars can be a noteworthy way for families to travel as well. “Whenever I would take my daughter on the train, she wasn't stuck in a seat, she would run the train without worry,” Walsh said. Young adults from Brazil, Argentina, and South Africa who work at White Silver Springs Resort have been making the trek by train every six months to the resort from their home countries, taking advantage of Amtrak’s student discount. Amtrak draws in all types of people, both as riders and workers. “I love traveling, my family and I travel a lot inside and outside of the US both with my job and outside of it,” Jovan Lopez, an Amtrak conductor in his seventh year. But Lopez didn;t always know he wanted to be a conductor. Lopez, who’s originally from Indianapolis, Indiana, used to be a police officer. The views and lighthearted passengers aren't the only thing keeping this job market competitive though. “This is one of the best jobs in the system in terms of hours you're paid,” said Lopez. “It's all day, You're paid for every hour you are out of your home base.” “After I had kids, I had enough of that,” Lopez said. “After seeing the mental anguish and toxicity of the job, I made a decision that was best for me and my family. I had a friend who worked for Amtrak. I saw what he
did and compared it to the money he made, which was exponentially more than we made as police officers, so it was a no brainer for me.” While the benefits are a perk for Lopez, that’s not the only reason he loves the job. “The perks of my job are traveling, seeing new places, and taking in the beautiful views. The Appalachian mountains are one of the prettiest views on the Amtrak,” Lopez said. “I wish I would have started when I was younger.” The joyous atmosphere throughout the train is palpable. From babies gazing out the window while cartoons play on their iPads, to old married couples lounging in rooms, life on the train is rarely dull. “My days are different every day. I get to work with really difficult people and really cool people,” Lopez said. “Coming from what I used to be, I see a lot more joy and appreciation for what we do because everyone is enamored with trains. It’s a special opportunity to experience something unique from your typical day.” While many who come to the train station are passengers, not all of them fall in that category. “Sometimes we have narrators on the train that are volunteers for the train society. They explain where we are and where we go,” said Lopez. “There are people who are at the station rain or shine just to say ‘hi’. It's a common occurrence.” If there's one piece of advice Lopez would give to young people in the area: “On the weekend, take some time off school. You can just jump in and be in a big city and try something different. Once you get to the northeast corner, near New York City, the sky's the limit.”
“The train is a good way to stay in touch with the rest of the world,” said Walsh. “You can have your dinner in the car with the nice tablecloths and you go through the New River Valley. The only way you can see that scenery is by train or by kayak.” 36
An Amtrak train destined for Charlottesville pulls into the Staunton train station.
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The Grill
Little Grill workers talk to a customer. 38
A Valley staple reopens, all because of the love of one Harrisonburg local 39
Two customers at the Little Grill look at one another lovingly.
written KATIE DUNN photographed by SOPHIE DIFRANCESCO The Little Grill has been a downtown Harrisonburg staple since its original opening in the 1920s. Former owner Ron Copeland recently repurchased the restaurant with hopes of bringing back its eclectic, antique charm. Copeland has quite a long history with The Little Grill. As a graduate of James Madison University, Copeland had a job at the grill while he was a student. “I really wanted to work here when I was in college just because I thought it was so cool,” he said. Copeland continued with the restaurant by staying in Harrisonburg post-graduation just to keep his job. He 40
said that he eventually got fired and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to start over because he was “distraught” over the loss of his connection to the grill. After a few post-grad adventures, Copeland caught word that the grill was up for sale. “I heard plans about them turning it into something different, like a Mexican restaurant, and I just couldn’t let that happen,” Copeland said. The opportunity led him back to the Valley, where he purchased The Little Grill at 25 years old. He said he “just had an irrational attachment to the grill.” “I knew very little about business at the time, but I
“I knew very little about business at the time, but I just felt like I was the protector of ‘Grill culture,’” Copeland said. just felt like I was the protector of ‘Grill culture,’” Copeland said. After running the restaurant for 11 years, Copeland decided he needed a change of pace and chose to attend graduate school. He didn’t want to sell The Little Grill to someone else because of his love for the restaurant, so he looked for other options. After extensive research and traveling around the country to learn from other restaurant owners, Copeland came across the concept of a collective or a co-op route for the transition. He described the concept, saying “There is one major owner with one vote, and the profit is distributed based on labor.” Copeland played a major role in the grill’s transition to a co-op and stayed on to assist for five years. The co-oplasted for 20 years, until its closure in September 2022 due to owner and employee burn-out. At the time of the grill’s closure, Copeland had returned to the Valley and founded Our Community Place, a care center for “those facing homelessness and other adverse experiences.” Copeland was shaken up by The Little Grill’s “abrupt
closure”, saying he “freaked out” due to his “severe attachment to the place.” With his love for the restaurant, Copeland immediately felt called to do something about this loss to the community. He and his wife were initially intimidated by the idea, but he said that as they continued to work through the opportunity, he began to wonder “Why do we think it’s impossible?” as he was “uniquely suited” to retake ownership. Ron did just that, and swiftly began renovations to the restaurant, often calling on the die-hard community surrounding it for help. His goal was “to make the grill what it was, but nicer.” Due to his previous ownership, Copeland had an idea of what he wanted to do to the restaurant going into the purchase. Taking art out of storage and his personal collection, as well as gathering new dining tables and booths, was all a part of the process. “It was kind of like putting a puzzle back together but added pizzazz to it.” Copeland said the community’s aid has been “incredibly clutch,” as he frequently used the restaurant’s Facebook page to gather volunteers to do restoration tasks. Since its reopening March 21, the grill has received nothing but positive feedback. Copeland said they had “100% positive reviews the entire first week we were back.” The dedication of the community surrounding this restaurant is truly like no other, and Copeland demonstrates that perfectly. “It’s about The Grill, that’s all it’s about,” Copeland said. “Without the customers, we got nothing.” 41
A Harrisonburg icon Drew Johnson brings light and love to the Valley city all by being himself written by JACQUI HIMMEL photos contributed 42
If you’ve ever spent time in Downtown Harrisonburg, you have probably run into Drew Johnson. He would’ve greeted you with a hug and asked you your plans for the day, told you his and then went on his way. An intentional wanderer, Drew roams, searching for an old friend, good music or a new adventure. With his raw authenticity and genuine compassion for others, Drew has left a lasting impression on many people. Harrisonburg holds a special place in Drew’s heart, but he is unaware of the impact he leaves on Harrisonburg; reminding everyone he meets to be kind and never stop having a good time. Born in Harrisonburg in 1988, Drew was diagnosed at a young age with Williams Syndrome, a developmental disorder that has carved his personality into the friendly, easy-going person he is today. Drew says it “ just makes me who I am,” and all of his siblings agree. After Drew was born, eight siblings followed, which began the iconic stories where Drew unintentionally taught them how to live in the moment. His younger brother Talbot Johnson remembers a day from his childhood that showcased Drew’s unapologetic methods for creating memories. Drew was supposed to walk Talbot home from school that day. “I remember seeing Drew turn the corner to the school in our family’s big green tractor,” said Talbot. He then hopped onto the tractor and they began their slow trek home. Embarrassed at the time, Talbot looks back on that day and smiles. With moments like these throughout their childhood, Drew built a reputation for living in the moment and encouraging others to do so. Drew would graduate from Harrisonburg High School in 2007 and later work at their brother’s company “Pure Shenandoah.” Jake Johnson, one of the founding members of the company and brother of Drew, is amazed at his positivity and the overwhelming impact he has had on the customers. “I feel like he [Drew] kind of has this like, natural ability to come to people when they need him most… Drew can kind of sense it and then he can come around and he can break that ice. He can be that light in that dark situation,” said Jake. When Drew is not working at “Pure Shenandoah”, he is spending time in Downtown Harrisonburg. Amazed by all the shops and food options, Drew goes from place to place to introduce and interact with clientele. “I have a lot of memories of Downtown, but for the first time I went, I loved seeing all the restaurants,” said Drew. A personal favorite and hub for meeting new people is Clementine. Drew regularly visits the restaurant on the Wednesday open mic nights to listen to local artists and showcase his music as well. It was at the age of nine when Drew got his first set of drums. “I didn’t know I was going to get them, I walked down one day and they were there. I was blown away. I guess I have to be a drummer now,” said Drew. From that moment on, Drew taught himself how to play by listening to music and then repeating it back. With his newfound love of the drums and music, his brother Abner and him bonded quickly. Abner, similar to Drew, discovered a deep appreciation for music, spending lots of time collaborating together and witnessing Drew’s drumming skills. “I see something even deeper in him that people don’t see, like the fact that he’s not just keeping rhythm, but he’s like, he’s setting the energy he’s also so selfless the way
he’ll play too and let other people play their instruments. He’s got a beautiful ear and an amazing ability to play music,” said Abner. As Drew got older and his drum skills progressed, he would attend Clementine’s open mic night and later start a band called ‘Drewski,’ a combination of his and a friend’s name. A singer and director of open mic night and friend of Drew’s, Cheryl Sule, has been witness to many ‘Drewski’ performances. “Before or after every time Drew plays, he’ll grab the mic and make sure to sincerely thank everyone for coming out to listen,” said Cheryl. Drew’s drum performances radiate pure enthusiasm and talent. “If you have the time, I really recommend going to watch Drew play, it’s something special,” said Cheryl. Along with Clementine being the origin of Drew’s band and performing career, it also is the perfect place for him to make as many friends as possible. Around 2016, Drew met the then-James Madison University student, Halee Jones, at open mic night. He introduced himself and they have been friends ever since. Halee is now the market manager of Harrisonburg’s Farmers Market, and Drew stops by every Saturday, bright and early, to catch up with Halee and grab a slice of maple pound cake from Bruce’s Syrup and Candies. Halee said, “I will always remember him at the markets running around saying hello to his friends and telling me how much fun he is having… he is someone who builds community and makes our community stronger.” Halee is not the only person who has been impacted by Drew’s kindness and stellar friendship; some have been so touched that a tattoo of Drew’s face was the best avenue to express it. Luke Watson met Drew back in 2007 while working as the bartender at Clementine. They spent many hours and open mic nights chatting about their strong love of live music. One night Luke mentioned to Drew that he would get a tattoo of him to commemorate their friendship and a little while later, Drew’s face was on Luke’s leg. “The inspiration is his affinity for live music and people… He is kind of a Harrisonburg icon and I love Harrisonburg, so it’s my tribute to both of them,” said Luke. “I think it also solidifies his status and legacy.” Although Drew has a strong tie to Clementine, he makes regular trips to Billy Jack’s, Jack Brown’s, Texas Inn, Ruby’s Arcade and many more. It wouldn’t be a normal night if Drew didn’t pop around from one place to another. “It’s like he can sense that he has a friend nearby,” said Cheryl. One year, to celebrate Drew’s birthday, his family put together a party at Ruby’s Arcade that all of his siblings could attend. After a little while into the party, his brother Talbot noticed Drew getting ready to leave the party. When he asked him where he was going since the party just started, Drew said, “I have to go see my friends at Clementines,” and off he went. Talbot and Jake said, “Drew is bought into a moment… he comes into people’s lives when they need it most,” and if that means leaving his own birthday party to seek out his downtown buddies, so be it. These are only a few accounts of Drew Johnson and his legacy, but the list goes on for miles. Drew has left and continues to leave a lasting mark on Harrisonburg. He hasn’t met everyone in town, but if you give him the chance, you might one day end up with a tattoo of him on your leg. 43
‘The ignorance of history”
Local historian aims to uncover all the most difficult and debatable stories from the past 44
written by JACQUI HIMMEL photos contributed by JMU
The work of a local historian For our meeting in Carrier Library, Evan Knappenberger arrived dressed in an old-fashioned-looking cap and vest. He pulled out a shining gold stopwatch from his breast pocket, telling me about its 19th-century origins. He chuckled and said, “Sorry, I live in the past.” Living in the past is a part of Knappenberger’s job as an independent local historian. Right now, Knappenberger is writing a history of education in the Shenandoah Valley. Knappenberger has already written quite a bit on the topic. In 2022, he published a short text titled “The Common Roots of Bridgewater College, Shenandoah University, Goshen College, James Madison University, and Eastern Mennonite.” The historical and bibliographic sketch explores the development of the ideology of education in the Shenandoah Valley. Knappenberger is most interested in uncovering history that has been ignored by mainstream publications. “The ignorance of history is something we have to fight,” Knappenberger said.Being a local historian is more of a calling than a career. A U.S. Army veteran of the Iraq War, Knappenberger lives off a veteran’s pension. He said his work as a historian isn’t nearly enough to pay the bills. Knappenberger received his bachelor’s in philosophy and theology and his master’s degree in religion from Eastern Mennonite University, graduating with his master’s in 2018. During his time at EMU as an undergraduate student, Knappenberger became interested in local history. In 2013, EMU was considering officially allowing LGBTQ students to enroll. Knappenberger recalled that many who opposed this decision remarked that “the founders would be rolling in their graves.” This got him wondering about the ways people weaponize history without knowing all the facts. He did some research and soon found that the history of LGBTQ people at EMU was more complex than most people understood it to be, just like everything else in history. Knappenberger said that LGBTQ people have long been a part of EMU’s culture, despite popular belief that they weren’t. This introduced him to the work of filling in those vital gaps in history textbooks. Knappenberger feels like a lot has been left out. “The historians have not done our jobs,” Knappenberger said. “The [history] that we’ve provided, it’s not right.” Digging into forgotten history is meticulous and timeconsuming. Knappenberger tries to read two or three old newspapers a day, which he describes as “painstaking” work. He subscribes to archive services to gain access. Many of these digitized documents don’t have a great search function, so Knappenberger has to be thorough in reading them to find what he’s looking for, whether it be a story about a famed Harrisonburg figure’s childhood or a detail about attending school in the Valley in the early 1900s. 45
The debatable history of James Madison University
In his research on education in the Shenandoah Valley, Knappenberger has taken a close look at the founding of The State New Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg — today known as James Madison University. He explained competition for the new Normal School was fierce across the state of Virginia. Finally, it was settled that Harrisonburg would be the location. The town rejoiced. However, the reasoning behind the choice wasn’t so celebratory. 46
Knappenberger said there was one major driving factor in the decision: there was a high concentration of unmarried women living in the Valley. Unmarried women could be paid less for teaching than men. “The founding rationale of JMU was to exploit women’s labor,” Knappenberger said. Margaret Mulrooney, a professor in the history department at JMU, has spent much of the past 20 years digging into the university’s history. Her explanation of the rationale behind the Normal School’s founding in Harrisonburg differs from Knappenberger’s. Mulrooney said that at the time of the debate over the Normal School, the American South still lagged behind in terms of industrial development. The building of a new women’s college was part of a push for economic development in Virginia. According to Mulrooney, many factors contributed to the placement of the New School in Harrisonburg. One was the ease of railroad transportation to Harrisonburg. Another was that Harrisonburg was considered a “healthy” community because it was rural and close to the mountains. It was also cheap to build a school in Harrisonburg due to low construction costs. “There were actually a bunch of factors, I’d say, not
just that there was a surplus of women,” Mulrooney said. Knappenberger’s research looks into the sometimes corrupt and questionable behaviors of some of the big personalities of JMU. He uncovered details that are often left out of official JMU histories. “It’s not something you want in a celebratory history,” Knappenberger said. George Keezell, who participated in the lobbying to have the Normal School built in Harrisonburg, was a corrupt politician who took bribes and never quite played by the rules, according to Knappenberger. “George was definitely not on the up and up,” Knappenberger said. “He was many times accused of corruption, including during the process of choosing Harrisonburg for the State Normal School.” Ron Carrier, the fourth president of JMU, often known as “Uncle Ron,” had some debatable behaviors, such as bringing kegs to student parties. While Mulrooney said she’s unable to completely corroborate some of these claims, she said she’s not surprised to hear about the political corruption of George Keezell. As for Ron Carrier, she admits his legacy is a mixed inheritance. “Those are the roots of some of the problems we have today with alcohol consumption on campus,” Mulrooney said. Even the recent history of JMU is often undiscussed. Mulrooney does a lot of research on the history of diverse populations at JMU. Some might be surprised to learn that JMU wasn’t officially desegregated until 1977, many years after Brown v. Board of Education in 1954. This legacy of belated desegregation still has an impact today.
Progressivism in education in the Valley
Although JMU and other schools in the Shenandoah Valley have their own failings in their past, both Knappenberger and Mulrooney are quick to highlight the progressive educational history of the Valley. Knappenberger said the Valley “has always been the cutting edge” of education, beginning in the 1800s with William Ruffner, a Shenandoah native who was an advocate for public education in Virginia at a time when the concept was unpopular. “[JMU] was a conservative school in a lot of ways, but it was also very radical,” Mulrooney said. Mulrooney remarked on the progressive idea present at the Normal School that women could get an education and become intellectuals. When women attended JMU to be teachers, it was understood that some of them would only work until marriage. But this wasn’t the case for every woman. Mulrooney said a great example of this is the staff of the Normal School, made up of unmarried women
who devoted their lives to their passion for teaching, regardless of society’s expectation for them to become housewives at a certain age. “It wasn’t unlike today, where [women] are very focused on going into the workforce, developing their own independence, and developing their own intellect,” Mulrooney said. One qualm Mulrooney takes with the official histories of JMU is that they paint the time before men were allowed to attend the school as a rosy women’s finishing story, projecting a “bobby socks and pearls” history, as Mulrooney calls it. She said “those nostalgia stories actually work to diminish the achievements of the women who attended this institution.” “There was this kind of cultural and social education,” Mulrooney “They were being invited to imagine different lives for themselves.” Revisionist history in the U.S. today The concept of reexamining history is a hot topic today. More and more universities and public institutions are taking a hard look at their pasts, trying to discern the more accurate truth that may have been neglected over the years. At JMU, there’s clear ambition to do just that. In 2016, President Jonathan Alger created the Campus History Committee, an initiative designed to examine the JMU story being told today and make it as truthful as possible. Mulrooney is the current chair of the committee. “We are charged with making the way that the institution tells and shares its history more inclusive and more accurate,” Mulrooney said. One of the committee’s recent projects was the renaming of the three JMU buildings bearing the names of Confederate military leaders. Mulrooney is pleased to have one of the new names honoring Sheary Darcus Johnson, the first Black student and graduate of JMU. One of Mulrooney’s biggest goals in making JMU history more accessible is ensuring people know about the diverse groups that have always existed at the school, even when it was difficult for them to be here. “People should know more about the different populations and how they’ve contributed to make the institution what it is today,” Mulrooney said. Knappenberger is similarly a champion of revisiting history to make it more accurate and fair. “I think the way to fix that is to engage in more context, more detail,” Knappenberger said. “We can come to a synthetic understanding of both sides and hold them together.” Knappenberger might not have a completely optimistic take, but he still finds progress is happening every day in the Valley. “JMU is, if not going down the right road, at least looking in the right direction,” Knappenberger said. 47
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