Farmville The Magazine - Summer 2016 by The Farmville Herald

Summer 2016 Vol. 1, No. 1 FREE

High Bridge Flippen leads hike into history

A proud heritage Dowd keeps the family land alive www.farmvillethemag.com

Farmville The Magazine

Art in the heart of Farmville Meet Rachel Ivers Executive Director Longwood Center for the Visual Arts

“

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT MY JOB:

THE ADDRESS SAYS IT ALL: 129 North Main Street. The Longwood Center for Visual Arts is located in the heart of Farmville, the result of a conscious decision in 1992 to make the museum an integral part of the community. LCVA Executive Director Rachel Ivers has taken that mission to heart during her two years with the museum, strengthening existing programs, particularly those for area schoolchildren, and creating new ones that provide a place for the diverse members of the Farmville community to gather and get to know each other.

I love how the LCVA brings the whole community together. Being a part of the community— celebrating art together through programs, activities and educational outreach—is a big part of why we’re here.”

LCVA IN THE COMMUNITY • School Outreach: Programs in area Pre-K–12 schools fostering a love of art and an appreciation for its value in everyday life. Nearly 9,500 students participated in 2015-16. • Exhibitions: Constantly changing shows that dazzle the eye and stimulate the mind. Exhibitions and opening receptions are always free and open to the public. • Summer Wine & Brew: TGIF-style gatherings where you can unwind and make new friends, Friday evenings through September 23.

lcvainfo@longwood.edu | 434-395-2206

• Camp Unity: An art program to engage community members who have developmental challenges.

CITIZEN LEADERS: Longwood People Contributing to a Great Community

Farmville The Magazine

Building Wealth and Earning Trust For more information, call or stop by our Farmville office today! (434) 392-9813 â&#x20AC;˘ (800) 431-3670 Corner of Main and High Street Downtown Farmville www.investdavenport.com

Farmville The Magazine

Feature

Publisher — Steve Stewart steve.stewart@farmvillethemag.com Editor — Jordan Miles jordan.miles@farmvillethemag.com

High Bridge Trail State Park Education Specialist Bob Flippen knows every angle of High Bridge, the Civil War-era bridge and main attraction of the state park’s 31-mile trail for hiking, bicycling and horseback riding. High Bridge, 2,400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River, is the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and among the longest in the United States. Flippen’s popular Under the Bridge walks offer a different perspective on the historic landmark.

Designer — Troy Cooper troy.cooper@farmvillethemag.com

Editorial Marge Swayne marge.swayne@farmvillethemag.com Carson Reeher carson.reeher@farmvillethemag.com

Titus Mohler titus.mohler@farmvillethemag.com Jamie C. Ruff jamie.ruff@farmvillethemag.com

Advertising Director — Jackie Newman jackie.newman@farmvillethemag.com Hannah Davis hannah.davis@farmvillethemag.com Sarah Messarge sarah.messarge@farmvillethemag.com

Contributors: Cynthia Wood, David Wiley, Dr. Chene Heady, Robin Sapp, William Thompson and Courtney Vogel. Cover photo by Marge Swayne On the web: www.farmvillethemag.com On Facebook: www.facebook.com/ farmvillethemag To subscribe, contact circulation@ farmvillethemag.com Farmville the Magazine P.O. Box 307 Farmville, Va. 23901 434-392-4151 Farmville the Magazine is published eight times annually by Farmville Newsmedia LLC. Copies are available free at businesses throughout the Heart of Virginia. For convenient mail delivery of each issue, cost is $30 per year.

A look into the past

Sprouse’s Corner Ranch

Also... Miles to the Gallon Good Reads Artist in Residence From the Ground Up Serving it Up

5 7 9 11 16

Catching Up With Party Pix Town and Gown Where Am I? Why I Love Farmville

24 34 48 49 50

Miles to the Gallon

Farmville’s first magazine is yours

Jordan Miles, Editor

Farmville The Magazine

he publication you’re holding in your hands or reading on your device is one that’s been long overdue for Farmville and the Heart of Virginia. This is a first for all of us — our readers, advertisers, civic leaders, business owners and the good salt-of-the-earth people that we serve day in and day out. Farmville the Magazine is a publication dedicated to highlighting our communities’ people, places, institutions and all the good and success that comes with them. Inside, you’ll find a wide variety of departments, or sections, from recipes to book reviews, and from event photos to feature stories. You’ll read our writing, but you’ll also read the prose of your friends, colleagues and neighbors, making this a true community magazine. This magazine and future ones will be tailored to our community. Our high standards for photography, writing and the overall product is of the utmost importance — a mark shared by both you and us. Our cover feature, written by the award-winning Marge Swayne, a veteran writer and photographer, details the journey that Bob Flippen has been on for many, many years in educating our community about the history, development and cultural significance of the crown jewel of one of Virginia’s newest state parks — the High Bridge. You’ll also find gardening tips from Cynthia Wood, book suggestions from Robin Sapp, a history of trade and commerce on the Appomattox River by William Thompson and why David Wiley loves Farmville. Take part in celebrating the people, places and events of Farmville by flipping through this publication, sharing it with others and putting it on your end table, making it a household staple that we’re honored to provide. Jordan Miles is editor of Farmville: the Magazine.

Farmville The Magazine

Good Reads

5 Hot Summer Picks Non-Fiction “My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts” written by Laura T. Coffey, photographs by Lori Fusaro. This book is full of stories about successful senior dog adoptions and declares that the “best phase” of a dog’s life is when it enters its senior years. All dogs featured were adopted after the nine years or older and live(d) out their lives as companions, healers, helpers and friends. With anecdotes that will tug on your heartstrings and pictures that will make you smile, “My Old Dog” just might inspire you to adopt a new friend. “Container Theme Gardens” written by Nancy J. Ondra, photographs by Rob Cardillo. Would you like to enjoy your own lovely plants this season without all the headache, hard work and expense? Have you thought about container gardening but you’re not sure how to match plants or how to take care of them? Then this book is for you. By using a combination of just five plants with homogeneous needs, you will find instructions for creating 42 combinations of container gardens that are suitable for your yard, patio, front porch or anywhere you want to enjoy the beauty of plants. “So As I Was Saying…My Somewhat Eventful Life” by Frank Mankiewicz with Joel Swerdlow. Consider being born into a family where your grandfather wrote “Citizen Kane,” your uncle wrote “All About Eve,” your cousin is a writer for the Netflix series “House of Cards,” and your brother has been a Dateline NBC correspondent for almost 20 years.

Then there’s your father, who served in World War II, wrote speeches for Robert Kennedy and George McGovern, helped found National Public Radio and was regional director for the Peace Corps. This is the ancestry of Frank Mankiewicz, and in this book, he shares the amazing accomplishments of his father, Frank Mankiewicz.

Fiction “Sweet Girl” a novel by Travis Mulhauser. Fearing for the life of her addict-mother, 16-yearold Percy sets out to find her before the onset of a severe Michigan winter storm. Her first stop is the home of Shelton Potter, a local drug dealer and meth manufacturer. But instead of finding her mother, she finds a crying baby in one of the cabin’s freezing bedrooms. Percy reaches for the baby to comfort her, realizing that she will not leave her in the cabin alone, thus embarking on a journey that will change her life and the lives of those around her forever. “My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry” a novel by Fredrik Backman. To seven-year-old Elsa, her grandmother is a super hero, and one of her superpowers is driving people crazy. This time, she’s driving the local police crazy, and Elsa and Granny are sitting in jail at two in the morning. “Just say sorry” implores Elsa, to no avail. Regrettably, Granny suddenly dies, and Elsa discovers a string of letters asking forgiveness from those she has trespassed against. Elsa decides to take on the responsibility of delivering these messages on behalf of her beloved Granny, and that’s when the adventure begins.

By Robin Sapp, Librarian at Cumberland County Public Library

Farmville The Magazine

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Artist in Residence

Farmville The Magazine

Her love is art: A profile of Martha Louis By Jamie C. Ruff

wonderful classical artha Pennington Louis loves art and possibly always has. music records all Louis, like her work, is known across Virginia. “I have been drawing as long as I can remember,” she said. “I used to get in day on Sundays.” She has no trouble for doodling in math class; my first awards were in the Keep Virginia favorite medium. Green poster contests in fourth grade.” “Watercolor is a very exciting medium because it can be unpredictable,” She likes to paint subjects with character — old faces, old places, old she said. “I tell my students to embrace that aspect of watercolor. Graphite, things. pen and ink, acrylic are predictable, and I love them all.” “They have lived, and their faces and the buildings tell a story,” she said. She likes the idea of art being accessible, and that’s one reason she advoSometimes Louis doesn’t choose projects; sometimes they chose her. cates for art and music to be in the schools. “A new restaurant opened in Buckingham, and they wanted a mural of Years ago, she and family members did the outdoor art show circuit, going Dillwyn in the 1940s, so I came up with a sketch, and it is still on the wall at to, among other localities, Waynesboro, Colonial Beach, Petersburg, RichFrida’s Mexican Restaurant,” she said. mond and Harrisonburg. “When my sister, Nan Holt, and I did a 16-foot painting of the burn“I always enjoyed taking my art to the people — ing of High Bridge, it was to cover up a space at The places where the average person could just walk up to Heritage House Restaurant where my cousin was chef. an original piece of artwork and hopefully enjoy it,” We painted it in two days. That painting has traveled she said. from restaurant to restaurant and at present resides in “I have a few favorite pieces that I would never sell. Appomattox.” They hope it will make its way back to Generally I enjoy it when other people like my paintHigh Bridge Visitor Center. ings enough to buy them. But it is the creating of them Mostly her paintings are pleasant — not political, that is the real joy.” not angry. “Easy to look at,” she said. In keeping with her goal to get art to the people, But after the horror of the Oklahoma City bombshe helped to get the Heart of Virginia Outdoor Arts ing, she produced a very stark painting of injured Festival back on track this year. young children with the blast behind them. “We had 40 artists this year,” she said. “My ultimate She doesn’t really plan a painting. goal is 60 to 65. I think the artists, many of whom trav“I wish I had the luxury of the time to actually plan eled over two hours to get to Farmville, felt apprecimore, but many times I plan it in my head and just put ated and enjoyed the show. Most said they’d be back it on paper,” she said. “I do use my camera to capture next year and bring some of their artist friends.” light or capture a moment in time — capture a face.” Martha Louis — Artist Though largely self-taught, Louis did take some life Now that she works at her x-ray tech profession of drawing classes and printmaking at VCU years ago. 44 years only three days a week, her goal is to schedule “But the basics I have taught myself — perspective, drawing, color mixing, painting time into the other two days. “That hasn’t happened yet, but starting techniques,” she said. in June I hope to stick to it,” she said. Mordi Gassner, a Keysville artist, who she got to know in his later years Louis said she grew up in a home “around fine art and great music,” calling when he was painting sets for the John Daniel Players theater group, influit “a blessing and strong influence.” enced her somewhat, she said. Her mother, Margaret Pennington, was a physician and artist. “Her pen “He was influenced by Leonardo Da Vinci,” she said. “He said that artists and inks were wonderful,” Louis said. “She produced three books with her needed to use their art to change the world. I don’t think I do that, but I paint drawings in them. My sister, Nan Holt, was always drawing or painting. because I have to — it is part of me, and if my vision and my hands allow me She now has her own business, Dog Art. My other sister, Jane Guthrie, was to keep painting, I will do so as long as I can.” the musician and my father, William Pennington, also a physician, played

“I always enjoyed taking my art to the people — places where the average person could just walk up to an original piece of artwork and hopefully enjoy it”

10 Farmville The Magazine

From the Ground Up

Create a tropical retreat, right here at home Y

ou’ve been on vacation to some tropical paradise where plants are lush and have impossibly vibrant colors. You just can’t forget the way late afternoon light shines through the leaves or the way the heady scent of flowers lingers in the humid air. Oh, for a piece of that garden paradise here in Zone 7. Impossible? Not at all. Take a walk around the downtown Farmville area and you’ll find that tropical plants have been quietly creeping into our area. There are several types of hardy palms, banana trees and exotic ferns that regularly survive our winters and thrive during our hot, humid summers. Other tropicals make a seasonal appearance as annuals and then disappear. To create your own tropical paradise, select a sunny location — perhaps a spot on your patio where you like to sit. The key design factors to remember are color and texture as related to both blooms and foliage. Oh, yes, and boldness. The main reason most people fall in love with tropical plants is that they’re just totally over the top in every sense. At least several of your choices should stop visitors in their tracks. Begin planning your tropical garden by thinking about bold colors and textures, especially in foliage. Some plants to consider: variegated tapioca plant, which has large, lobed yellow and green leaves; croton, which has shiny leathery leaves veined in green, yellow, pink, red and purple; variegated CYNTHIA WOOD is a master dracaena, which is a tall, multi-stemmed gardener. Her email address is plant with spiky leaves striped in cream, pink cynthia.crewe23930@gmail.com. and green; and, my favorite, the bromeliad, Aechmea blanchetiana, which produces interesting offshoots or pups and has broad serrated leaves that turn bright yellowish orange in mid-summer. Banana trees and giant elephant ears are also excellent choices. Some have dark green leaves with splotches; others are plainer, but they’ll all make you stop and smile. For especially large, showy flowers, think about Hibiscus ‘Cosmic Dancer’ and Brugmansia, which has trumpet-shaped blossoms in pale pink, yellow or white that are heavily fragrant at night. The ever popular Mandevilla vine and low growing Angelonia are useful for filling in spaces. Even petunias add tropical flair. All of these plants grow well in pots or in the ground. When combining them, think in terms of thrillers, fillers and spillers — something tall or exceeding bold, such as a banana tree or Aechmea blanchetiana; something attractive that fills space, such as tapioca plant or coleus; and then even smaller plants, such as Mandevillas, begonias or petunias, that anchor everything to the ground. We garden with tropicals every summer, but call them annuals. Think more creatively, mix everything up and you’ll have your very own paradise.

Cynthia Wood stands on her porch surrounded by many of her potted tropical plants. Wood uses pots in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes for her bold tropical foliage. These plants can thrive both in a pot or planted in the ground. At bottom left, one of many flowers blooms in Wood’s lush tropical garden. Wood decorates her garden with a variety of potted tropical foliage during the spring and summer.

Farmville The Magazine

12 Farmville The Magazine

Shipping

on the Appomattox River

Lewis Miller, an itinerant painter who traveled through Farmville in the late 1850s, drew several pictures of the goings-on in Christiansburg â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as the town was known at the time. This image is taken from more or less across the river from where Stanley Park once stood (now site of Lancer Park), looking around the bluff toward town. (Photo courtesy Abby Aldrich, Rockefeller Museum, Williamsburg)

Farmville The Magazine

By William Thompson

he annual James River Batteau Festival gives us Southside Virginians an opportunity to examine our regional ancestors’ hope that their practice of poling commercial barges on the Appomattox River could be improved by having the Virginia legislature create a means for citizens to invest in a plan for dredging a more navigable river channel, while also constructing periodic riverside canals, tow-paths and workable water-locks alongside the Appomattox River.

By the late 1700s, farmers from Cumberland, Buckingham and Prince Edward Counties had grown accustomed to having their oxen, horses and mules towing hogsheads of tobacco along appropriately named “rolling roads” to riverside docks at Planterstown, Rutledge Landing (i.e., eventually “Farmville”) and Jamestown, where these crops were loaded onto batteaux and poled along the uncertain flow of this river to the purchasing and shipping center of Petersburg.

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This is an image of an early tobacco-inspector license, signed by Gov. James Madison. Farmville got its early head start at being the county metropolis by having the official tobacco inspection and taxing station here. Following the colonies’ successful separation from Great Britain, regional entrepreneurial advocates — such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry — believed that canals were the easiest answer for an efficient way of bringing economic development to the agricultural areas west of the Virginia rivers’ fall lines. After all, such developments could readily be seen elsewhere: the financial success of the 350-mile Erie Canal between the Hudson River and Lake Erie, completed in 1825, the 14-mile Chesapeake and Delaware Canal completed through the Delmarva Peninsula in 1829, markedly shortening the shipping distance between Philadelphia and Baltimore and the young nation’s earliest (1805) canal extending 22 miles through the Great Dismal Swamp, between Norfolk and Elizabeth City, N.C., on the Albemarle Sound. Granted, the overly ambitious James River and Kanawha Canal never achieved its ultimate western terminus, but at least by 1854, it was navigable

for 160 miles from Richmond to Buchanan, which even provided an amazing water transit through the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. By this time, however, the arrival of railroads was rapidly displacing canals. There were even local dreams of thrusting the Appomattox River’s uncertain shipping lanes further to the west by having a canal that joined the headwaters of the Appomattox River with the Staunton/Roanoke River. Bradshaw’s Prince Edward County history indicates that there was once a proposal before Virginia’s General Assembly (backed by ex-U.S. President Monroe and Supreme Court Chief Justice Marshall) to move forward with this plan, but that bill was defeated in the state legislature, largely due to the political power of the Tidewater farmers who definitely did not want backwater competition. Believe it or not, there is apparently a quiet testimony to that dream on a ridgeline several miles north of the present-day Abilene crossroads, where

Farmville The Magazine

Route 682 leads off to the right from the County Line Road; it’s a hilltop road inexplicably named “The Junction Canal Road.” However, one of our rivers’ (and adjacent creeks’) very successful shipping venture is described in Union Presbyterian Seminary’s 200-year history that was published last month. When the seminary moved from Hampden Sydney to Richmond in the summer of 1898, a major challenge was transporting its 16,000 library books and 5,000 unbound pamphlets. “Their weight would have been much too heavy for wagon axles and the clay road (into Farmville) … Therefore, a student team packed the entire collection into 30 waterproof tobacco hogsheads with sawdust for cushion-

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ing. The hogsheads were then rolled down the Via Sacra to Buffalo Creek, where they were loaded on flatbed barges. The barges were poled several miles to the Appomattox River, where they were then poled one mile farther eastward and were unloaded and rolled up the hill and onto a Richmondbound freight train.” Rev. William Thompson, a Farmville resident and historian, is Hampden Sydney’s retired church pastor and former college chaplain. His email address is zebra@kinex.net

16 Farmville The Magazine

Serving it Up

Howard and Joan Simpson By Carson Reeher

oward and Joan Simpson have been married for 40 years and have been baking together for nearly as long. The one cake they have made together countless times is the Sour Cream Pound Cake. Up until two years ago the celebrity couple made 142 Sour Cream Pound cakes each Christmas season for friends and family, Joan said. The last year they made cakes at Christmas, they gave everyone the recipe so anyone could make the cakes whenever they wanted. Now the couple just makes them for friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; birthdays or special occasions. Though, according to Howard, they still probably make hundreds of cakes a year.

Farmville The Magazine

The Simpsons got their recipe from Imogene Tunstall, who served as longtime Cumberland circuit court clerk. Tunstall gave the Simpsons the recipe when they first got married, and they have since then carried on the tradition of the Sour Cream Pound Cake. “(Imogene) was a stickler on sticking to the recipe, which is why I do that,” Joan said. It’s important, she added, to use the right type of flour, lemon and vanilla extract, as the recipe states. Joan said she typically bakes three cakes at a time because that’s how many cakes her oven has room for. However the couple hardly ever keeps a cake for themselves. They send cakes home with guests, friends and neighbors. In the kitchen, Joan does the sifting and preparing, while Howard handles the blending and pouring the batter into the pan. As one finishes a task, the other is ready to carry on. They have the routine down to a science. They are a perfect team. Though the Simpsons do make other treats, such as a coconut custard pie., they say this is their favorite to make together. They encourage others to give the recipe a chance.

Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe 2 sticks butter (no substitute) 3 cups sugar 6 eggs 1 cup sour cream 3 cups sifted flour (unbleached Pillsbury flour) ⅛ tsp. baking soda ⅛ tsp. salt 1 & ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 & ½ tsp. lemon (“RealLemon” lemon juice)

Preparation Mix sugar and butter, then add eggs. Add flour, soda and salt sifted together, sour cream, vanilla and lemon. Mix well and bake in a tube pan at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes. DO NOT open the oven door early or cake will fall. Test cake with a toothpick to see if it is done.

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From

Farmville The Magazine

Cattle Farm to Horse Ranch It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take long to understand that Sprouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner Ranch is a special place in Buckingham County. Story and photos by Carson Reeher

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On U.S. Route 60, just past Sprouse’s Corner, is Sprouse’s Corner Ranch — property that has been in the Sprouse family since the 1800s. Now it’s a horse ranch with therapeutic riding programs, riding lessons, horse shows and summer camps. LaRue Sprouse Dowd helped turn the property from a cattle farm to a horse ranch in 2006. Now she works as farm manager, riding instructor and program director for Heartland Horse Heroes Therapeutic Riding Program.

he same family has owned the property for five generations, dating back to the 1800s. The ranch — located at Sprouse’s Corner — sits at the intersection of routes 60 and 15 in Buckingham and is home to 25 horses. It’s also home to a long family history deeply rooted in the county. LaRue Sprouse Dowd, farm manager, riding instructor and program director for Heartland Horse Heroes, helped the ranch make the transition from cattle farm to a horse ranch in 2006. “It’s a family farm that has been in my family for five generations,” Dowd said, “so it’s been passed down through the generations. It was a cattle farm

for many years and then became a horse farm when I got a hold of it. That’s been about 10 years ago.” “Elizabeth Sprouse, my great-great-great grandmother purchased it (in the 1800s) and gave it to her son, who’s my great-great grandfather. He lived here. He had a house on the property,” said Dowd. E.B. Sprouse, Dowd’s father and owner of Sprouse’s Garage, also located at the intersection, said, “Well, it was my grandfather’s farm, my father’s, his brother inherited it, and after he passed away, my mother owned it, and then I gave it to LaRue.” Dowd spent her childhood living just a mile away from the farm.

Farmville The Magazine

“It’s actually closer to ride your horse over here,” she said, “and we had horses growing up, so I would ride my horse over here. I had a pony. At the time, I would get off the bus and my mom would just let me go.” The idea for Sprouse’s Corner Ranch started during those rides from her home to the farm. “I would ride over here and kind of look around and dream a little bit. ‘We could put stalls here or put pastures here.’ So, throughout my life, this was always something I wanted to do. It just took me till I was 30 or so to start it because I had other things I wanted to do too.” One of the things that makes the ranch so special is Dowd’s in-depth knowledge of horses and ranch management. She spent 10 years of her life, prior to building the ranch, living and attending school in Kentucky. There, she obtained an associates’ degree in veterinary technology and a bachelor’s degree in equine physical therapy with a minor in horse showmanship. E.B. said he’s glad to see his daughter back home working. “She’s a hard worker,” he said. “She really takes care of the business end of it.” Not only does the ranch’s location provide a rich family history, but also it’s located down the road from Buckingham’s public schools. According to Sprouse and Dowd, the community and the school system in particular have helped the ranch to thrive. “I think our location has made it very convenient for people to see where we are and also for the school to be involved in our program. Without community support, we wouldn’t be able to do any of what we do,” said Dowd. Heartland Horse Heroes is a See Ranch page 22

Dowd provides riding lessons for anyone who wants to learn. Three-year-old Vivian Jones rides Babydoll, one of Dowd’s horses, as Dowd leads her through a series of lessons.

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Above, a bulletin board in the barn advertises events and important information for program participants and guests. At left, Spouses Corner Ranch has made use of the farm’s original barn. The structure was renovated into a horse barn when the ranch was established. Prior to that, the space was used to house hay.

therapeutic riding program that the Buckingham primary and elementary schools have supported. Each semester, the schools have money in their budgets for special-needs students to attend a 10-week therapeutic riding class at the ranch during the school day. This program relies not only on the support of the schools, but also community support through the service of volunteers. The ranch provides riding lessons, summer camps and hosts horse shows, in addition to its therapeutic programs. They accept students of all ages. Sprouse’s Corner Ranch is a landmark where the community feels welcome. The family connection to the land and Dowd’s passion for and knowledge of horses brings Sprouse’s Corner to full bloom for travelers and residents alike. “I always like to encourage anybody (who) wants to get involved to contact me. We usually do a couple of volunteer trainings per year, but we could always use the help,” said Dowd. Dowd can be reached at (434) 983-8181 or laruelanes@yahoo.com. For more information, visit www.sprousescornerranch.com.

Farmville The Magazine

“It’s a family farm that has been in my family for five generations, so it’s been passed down through the generations. It was a cattle farm for many years and then became a horse farm when I got a hold of it.” LaRue Sprouse Dowd, Farm Manager

LaRue Dowd stands in front of the barn that now houses her horses. Above, a shelf of boots sits in the Heartland Horse Heroes classroom with various-sized boots for the elementary-aged special-needs children who participate in the therapeutic riding program. At right, Vivian Jones brushes Babydoll and prepares for her riding lesson.

24 Farmville The Magazine

Farmville The Magazine

Catching Up With...

Monty Mason By Jamie C. Ruff

onty Mason may have moved away from Farmville in pursuit of opportunity, but he hasn’t forgotten where he was born and

raised. He still has family here; he still keeps tabs on the area, even in the Virginia General Assembly; he still has fond memories of his hometown. “It was a great place to grow up; we stayed in town and had a nice time,” Mason recalled. “I just love Farmville. There are three or four houses I’d like to live in now that I looked at all my life.” Mason, 48, represents the 93rd House District as a Democrat. The district includes Williamsburg, parts of James City and York counties and part of Newport News. He was first elected in 2013 and was re-elected last year. But he’s now seeking the nomination to run for the 1st District State Senate seat, which became open with the sudden death of longtime Sen. John Miller. The district includes Newport News, Hampton, Suffolk, Williamsburg and parts of York and James City counties. The primary election took place on June 14, and the general election will be on Nov. 8. “Things have moved pretty fast in the three years I’ve been in the House of Delegates,” he said. But it all started in Farmville. His parents, Bob and Daphne Mason, live on First Avenue; his brother, Chris, owns Fine Arts and Framing; he is married to Angie, and they have two children, Rachel and Holt. “It was great” growing up in Farmville, he said. He grew up playing football, basketball, baseball and golf, swimming at the pool and hanging out in Buckingham, Cumberland and Crewe.

“We got to spend a lot of time going out through the region,” he recalled. Mason graduated from Prince Edward Academy in 1985 and went to the College of William & Mary where he graduated in 1989. Mason said he was considering going to Hampden-Sydney College to play football and baseball. He had been to baseball camp under Coach Stokeley Fulton. But Fulton got sick and died just before Mason made his college decision. Meanwhile, encouraged by his parents, Mason visited William & Mary. “I went down and just loved it,” he said. “Got in there and went there.” And Williamsburg has been his home ever since. He works for Visa in fraud and risk doing E-commerce authenticity work. “E-commerce is just exploding,” he said. Mason and his wife, Pamela, have two children, Taylor Anne, 8, and Hawley, 6. Pamela works at William & Mary as the deputy compliance officer for the school. “I expect, barring something unusual, I will spend the rest of my life in Williamsburg, or on the Virginia peninsula, at least,” Mason said. He visits Farmville, but not as often as he would like. “Since getting elected to the House of Delegates, our schedules are insane,” he said. So his parents visit him, Mason said. Still, he stays connected to his hometown and the region. His office in the General Assembly is next door to James Edmunds. Edmunds represents the 60th District in the House, which includes Charlotte, Halifax and Prince Edward counties and part of Campbell County. Consequently, Mason said, he is able to stay abreast of events affecting this region and support them. “It’s fun for me serving in the general assembly and representing my constituents, but I hear a lot from my friends at home,” Mason said.

26 Farmville The Magazine

HIGH

History Story and photos by Marge Swayne

Farmville The Magazine

t’s early on a Monday morning at High Bridge Trail State Park, and walkers, runners and the occasional cyclist are already on the trail. Sporting neon-bright workout wear, T-shirts and shorts or jeans, they dot the trail like colorful spring flowers. Driving his Jeep down a service road beside the trail, Education Specialist Bob Flippen smiles and waves. “I always wave,” Flippen says with a nod toward a couple pedaling by on mountain bikes. “My job is to focus on visitors. Some come because they’re into fitness, some have an interest in railroad history or they had a relative who fought in the Civil War and want to see the bridge. They all want an experience — and that’s my job.” The job is a natural for Flippen, an anthropology major and graduate of George Washington University who has a passionate interest in Farmville history. “My favorite part of the job is interacting with people and retelling the history,” he says. “I get very emotional at times because I’m seeing it.” High Bridge Trail State Park opened to the public on April 6, 2011, a Rails to Trails project covering 31 miles and crossing three counties. It is a trail that marks a path steeped in history. Flippen stops the Jeep at the entrance to the bridge. First-time visitors, he notes, often stand there in awe.

28 Farmville The Magazine

The original railroad bridge, completed on Jan. 1, 1854, stood 117 feet above the Appomattox River. “It took a thousand-man, 200-horse workforce about 2-1/2 years to construct it,” Flippen says. “The bridge stood on 20 large brick pillars 112 feet apart on center with a wooden super structure across the top that stood 17 feet tall.” The ghosts of history still whisper across this bridge, and Flippen is there to tell their stories. The biking couple stop Flippen on the bridge to ask directions to Camp Paradise, and he obliges with a history lesson. “Camp Paradise was one of four earthen forts, two on each side of the river, to guard the approaches to the bridge,” Flippen tells the couple resting on their bikes. “That was a fear they had — that marauding Federal troops would burn the bridge. Camp Paradise was manned by a unit of the Donaldsonville Artillery pulled from the

trenches in Petersburg. They were living in horrible conditions, hence they called this place Camp Paradise.” Historically, High Bridge was a turning point in the Civil War. Flippen describes the failed attempt to burn the bridge that allowed the Union Army to cross over the flood-swollen Appomattox River. “High Bridge was the last nail in the coffin of the Confederacy,” Flippen says. The couple pedal off with a better understanding of the history they are experiencing. “You learn about people, and you engage them,” Flippen said. “You can’t enthuse people if you aren’t enthused!” Halfway across the bridge, Flippen stops to confer with Chief Ranger Craig Guthrie. “You have a beetle in your hair,” Guthrie says to a visitor. Guthrie removes the beetle, then explains its role in the park eco-

Farmville The Magazine

Through the lens of history â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a side view of High Bridge tracks three eras of bridge history: brick piers erected in 1854, steel girders, circa 1913-15, and bridge decking from the Rails to Trails project that became a state park. At right, an 1854-era brick pier built on a stone foundation dwarfs Bob Flippen. Twenty brick piers supported the original railroad bridge that played a pivotal role in the closing days of the Civil War.

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Bob Flippen gives an impromptu history lesson to a group of Boy Scouts. Pictured, from left, are William Loudermilk, Alex Sellers, back row, Evan Graham, Ryan Sabel, Jackson Van Horn and Alex Black. system. Guthrie, Flippen explains, is a ranger with police authority. That includes respect for wildlife of the park — including insects. Continuing along the bridge, Flippen says, “I do a lot of roving interpretation. I just walk the bridge back and forth and constantly engage people along the way.” Near the east entrance, Flippen greets the Quinn family from Victoria. “We come to High Bridge once a month,” Eric Quinn says. Nodding toward his three daughters, he adds, “It’s a great family outing.” “Did you see the raven’s nest under the bridge?” Flippen asks. Immediately the Quinn children are at the railing. “Ravens are much larger than crows,” Flippen tells the girls. “They don’t usually come here, but they like bridges. Now they come every year and hatch their eggs. Three of the juveniles from this year’s nest are still here, and you might see them.” Right on cue a young raven flies across the river. “It’s perched on the railing,” the father exclaims. Flippen nods and smiles — it’s an experience the Quinn family will remember. Walking back across the bridge, Flippen describes the Rails to Trails project.

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“The entire trail was an $8 million project, with the bridge component $2 million of that,” he says. “The bridge itself has 1,955 railroad ties under the decking, of which 1,065 were replaced. The rehab project took 146,250 feet of lumber — if you laid it end to end, it would cover 27-1/2 miles, almost the length of the trail.” “I can see what the trail’s done for Farmville,” Flippen says. “There were 213,000 visitors to High Bridge last year.” That, as Flippen sees it, offers endless opportunity for engagement. Near the west end of the bridge, Flippen stops to greet a mother and three young children. “See that pillar down there?” Flippen says. “That was built before the Civil War.” A smile spreads across the youngster’s face. “And it’s still here!” he tells Flippen. Flippen returns his smile — one experience scored for a future historian. “There’s a Kids to Parks event coming up,” Flippen says as the family heads for the bridge. “And don’t forget the Open Trail Night and Owl Prowl, too.” The Firefly Walk is Flippen’s personal favorite. “It’s absolutely incredible to come out on High Bridge and see all the fireflies below you,” he says. “It’s like another galaxy of stars.” High Bridge, in fact, earned gold stars for programming last year. “Comment cards rated us number one in the state,” Flippen says. Flippen waves to a trio of hikers as he walks back to his Jeep. “This is my dream job,” he says. Driving back down the trail, Flippen is reflective. “The railroad once served as a means of bringing people together,” he says. “Even though the railroad’s gone, High Bridge Trail brings people here — it’s all about having an experience — that brings them back.” Turning onto River Road, the education specialist smiles. He’s already thinking of tomorrow’s possibilities.

On a good day, you could be here. Warm cabins, challenging trails and clean, crisp air are nearby.

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov

32 Farmville The Magazine

Above, a juvenile raven, one of four that hatched in a nest under this bridge this spring, greets visitors along a trail leading under the bridge. At right, High Bridge Trail State Park Chief Ranger Craig Guthrie, left, and Education Specialist Bob Flippen, right, make plans for a busy day at the park.

Farmville The Magazine

1. In 1851, South Side Rail Road was slated to go to Hampden Sydney; Farmville businessmen offered a financial incentive to reroute it. 2. A required 1 to 2 percent railroad grade into Farmville necessitated construction of a “high bridge” over the Appomattox River. 3. The population of Farmville in 1854 was 1,500; workmen at the bridge site numbered over 1,000. 4. The original High Bridge was constructed with an estimated 4 to 7 million bricks. 5. The cost of High Bridge, the final link in a 135-mile railway, was $167,500. 6. Three hundred old men and boys, the 3rd Virginia Reserve Infantry, defended High Bridge during the Civil War. 7. The Craddock Terry building on Main Street (now Green Front) includes bricks from High Bridge.

10 Fun Facts About High Bridge

8. The present-day High Bridge was constructed in 1913-14; erecting the steel girders took two of the 15 months. 9. Sand for the concrete pedestals was extracted from the Appomattox River in 1913 by a dredge nicknamed “The Titanic.” 10. Today, High Bridge is the longest pedestrian bridge in Virginia; last year 213,000 visited the park. Source: Bob Flippen

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PartyPix

A racy Affair Piedmont Senior Resources’ “A Racy Affair” was held May 7 in Prospect in conjunction with the Kentucky Derby. The event, a fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that serves seniors in Amelia, Buckingham, Charlotte, Cumberland, Lunenburg, Nottoway and Prince Edward counties, drew people from the region who donned seersucker suits and decorated hats. Justine Young, the agency’s executive director, came up with the idea. Photos by Courtney Vogel

Libby Morris, MacKenzie Blackwell and Mark Heintzleman

Emily and Alex Grabiec

Terry Royal, LeAnne Emert and Justine Young

Alecia Daves-Johnson and Evelyn Johnson

Mark Southall, Susie Hampton and Haywood Hamlet

Farmville The Magazine

New Health-Care providers Centra Southside Community Hospital welcomed over 20 new providers to the community this spring during a meet-and-greet for the doctors and professionals at Fuquaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lower School.

PartyPix

Photos by Jordan Miles

Cheryl Gee, Teresa Stewart and Scott Lewis

Dr. Calvin Gray and Dr. Marvin Scott

Dr. Hussein Al-Shammaa, Dr. Kwabena Donkor and Dr. Kirsten Huber

Jill Mock, Brandy Earhart and Charles Smith

David Whitus and Sally Thompson

Linda Barnes, Dr. Ben Selvan and Dr. Rodrigo Rodan

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PartyPix

March For Babies Over 30 teams raised more than $20,000 for the March of Dimes FarmvilleFulcher March for Babies, named in honor of Farmville resident Henry M. Fulcher, a polio survivor. The April event included testimony from the Scruggs family of Cullen, the ambassador family of this year, informational booths, food and games. Photos by Jordan Miles

Clardene Jones, Talisha McCargo, Haley Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell, Darlene Hall, Alexis Martin, Julia Saxby, Kenzie Melton and Carol Bulger

Rachel Baldwin, Joshua Baldwin, Noah Harris, Erin Finch, Jeff Scruggs and Lexi Scruggs

Willie Walker, Megan Clark, Roy Nunnally and Hakeem Croom

Farmville The Magazine

PartyPix

Kneeling, Kiara Crocker, standing LaCreesha Reed, Aaliyah Williams, Jonathan Bland, Bianca Cherry and Destini Peay

Allison Gross, Chris Bolt, Margaret Taylor-Collins and Kerry Mossler

Grace Freeman, Rebecca Bryant, Leslie Muck and Leane Stembridge

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PartyPix

Free Clinic gala Hundreds of people attended the April Heart of Virginia Free Clinic Gala, held at the Firemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports Arena in Farmville. The event, which included food, drinks and live music, marked a successful year for the clinic, which seeks to aid those without health insurance across an eight-county region. Photos by Jordan Miles

At left, Amy Proctor and Danny Bowman. Above, Joyce Eggleston, Jenny Wood, Carolyn Bowman and Wendy Kirk-Chumley.

Farmville The Magazine

PartyPix

Savanna Hartman, Sarina Hartman and Nick Holder

Pat Payne, Rebecca Johnson, Kira Angelo and Tom Angelo

Rebecca Simpson, Amber Simpson, Lucy Doyne, Renae Whirley and Michelle Simpson

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PartyPix

Mayfest 2016 The people, places and heritage of Buckingham County were celebrated by both young and old recently at the Historic Village at the Robert E. Lee Wayside during Mayfest. The annual celebration included educational booths, food, live music, games, art and craft exhibits and more. Photos by Jordan Miles

Marie Flowers, Agnes Cramer, Barbara Wheeler, Suzanne Van De Grift, Shirley Chapman, Jeanette Reck, Brenda Marks, Barbara Clark, Sharon Byrum, Glenda Harris and Peggy Reed

Adam Finch, Brandon Harmon, standing, Trevor Dayton, Jeff Wise and Myron Kidd

Brenda Tatum, Ashley Hembree, D.J. Taylor and Robert Saxon Jr. Wayne Davis and Bill Kemp

Amanda Troyer, Emma Miller and Andrea Gingerich

Marie Flowers and Margaret Thomas

Farmville The Magazine

Relay for Life Despite the rain, a large crowd gathered on May 6 at the Virginia Keys School in Buckingham to take part in the Relay for Life of Buckingham and Cumberland. After the initial Survivors Lap, many survivors, caregivers and family members of both continued around the loop that was lined by tents of various organizations supporting the cause.

PartyPix

Photos by Titus Mohler

Avery Schaeffer and Ty Wilkerson

Kristine Ownby and Katie Davis

Robert Hicks and Cheryl White

Pete and Janet Rose

Brady Shumaker and Emma Staton

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PartyPix

Fuqua School Graduation Twenty-six seniors graduated from Fuqua School in Farmville on May 27. Alum Fred Garrett encouraged the graduates to celebrate their success and to brace for their failures. Valedictorian David John Hice encouraged his classmates to embrace service and to lean on their values. Robert “Bobby” Showalter, chairman of the Rural Education Foundation Board of Directors, was honored for his service to the school during Fuqua’s 26th commencement. Photos by Jordan Miles

Zoey Chen

Jonathon Kelly and Tori Dunn

Micah Morgan and Thomas Watson

Jenna Armes dons her Great Britian-oriented cap.

Josh Dimmick, Marshall Womack and Martha Womack

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PartyPix

Heart of Virginia Festival The 38th annual Heart of Virginia Festival â&#x20AC;&#x201D; held on May 7 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; brought hundreds of people from Buckingham, Cumberland and Prince Edward to downtown Farmville. The event included an outdoor art show, magic shows, live music, food, crafters, an antique car show and fellowship among neighbors and new friends. Photos by Titus Mohler and Jordan Miles

Rylynn Morris, Alexandra Morris and Cristin Morris

Kaylei Jones, Addy Jones, Chris Jones and Peyton Jones

Christina Branch and Isaiah Marshall

Farmville The Magazine

PartyPix

Chante Early, Lawrence Early, Madison Webster, Shaylah Early and Nancy Early

Grayson Dunn, Nora Dunn and Lily Dunn

Mila Garcia and Annette Waggoner

Ava Angelo and Tom Angelo

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PartyPix

Wine and Brew The Farmville community gathered in the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts (LCVA) to enjoy wine, beer and fellowship on May 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the first of the new Summer Wine and Brew series. The events, which are open to the public, will occur each Friday evening in the LCVA through Sept. 23. The LCVA will remain open 5-7 p.m. on the designated Fridays and will provide free appetizers in addition to a cash bar with beer or wine selected by community members. There will be a live band for select nights in the future. Photos by Carson Reeher

Jackie Sadler and Miles Sadler

Marie Hoge-Perkins and Barbara Kiewiet de Jonge

Susan Sullivan, Stephanie Buchert, Bruce Davis and Lucy Carson

Leeann Dail and Amalia Nelson

Farmville The Magazine

PartyPix

Alex and Emily Grabiec

Justine Young, Jennifer Wall and Robin Sedgwick Jenny Bates and Elizabeth Baker

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Town and Gown

Misdelivered messages A

couple of weeks ago, I opened my e-mail to find a message from an affable elderly woman at my church whom I know slightly. It said, “Think Father’s Day,” and contained a link to the web site Ties.com, which was running a sale on cufflinks. I was touched, but also baffled. I buy my dress clothes at Sam’s Club, and wear ties mostly to weddings. I don’t own a shirt with classical rhetoric have Dr. Chene Heady is an associate that requires cufflinks. described the party last professor of english at Longwood As it turns out, she had intended to send the message to her daughter, Friday night one way to their University. He earned his Ph.D. from Ohio State University. whose first name begins with the same letter as my own, and fell victim to friends and another to their Auto-Complete. parents — and have told the A college student informs her professor, my wife Emily, that she’s terribly truth, or part of it, both times. Throughout human experience, this has sick—“Puking and stuff”— and won’t make it to class. “I’d be there if I could been how communication has worked, and the exceptions have been instand up. No disrespect. I love your class.” Since my wife isn’t altogether frequent enough to be considered legitimate misfortunes. The influential heartless, she excuses the absence and wishes her a speedy recovery. Victorian orator John Henry Newman often brooded over his one great Later that day, my wife’s Facebook notifications alert her that the student rhetorical failure, the time he got his audience wrong, when one of his has posted a “status update.” The update reads: “Virginia Beach Rocks !!!!” works was “addressed to one set of persons,” but “used and commented Swimsuit photos are attached. The student had forgotten that way back at on by another.” the beginning of the semester she had befriended all of her professors on In 2016, we all have the experience that so traumatized Newman conFacebook. stantly, every time an e-mail gets unexpectEvery reader could add his or her own story. The immediacy of electronic edly forwarded, a comment gets retweeted The misdelivered message or the communicacommunication is gratifying, or a forgotten Facebook friend views an tion that reaches an unintended audience is a unfortunate post. The immediacy of elecbut it’s disorienting never to tronic communication is gratifying, but it’s ubiquitous experience in the electronic age. And this is one fundamental way in which be quite certain who your disorienting never to be quite certain who electronic media have changed how we comaudience is and what it thinks your audience is and what it thinks of you. municate. We can’t be sure at any point to We are all rather confused — in ways that of you. We are all rather whom we’re talking. change history. confused — in ways that Classical rhetoric assumes that the speaker In 2012, Mitt Romney is speaking to change history. (or orator) knows the audience well. Cicero wealthy donors at a fundraising dinner. He was ancient Rome’s most famous orator, and contrasts the 53 percent of Americans who he wrote lengthy treatises about how to analyze an audience and appeal to its pay federal income tax (people who take “personal responsibility over beliefs, biases, predispositions and temperament. Likewise in America, our their own lives”) with the 47 percent of Americans who do not (people great leaders who were also great public speakers have possessed a consistent who “believe that they are victims” and feel “entitled”). The crowd loves vision, but have varied the presentation and the arguments for each audience. this kind of talk; they’ve all paid $50,000 to attend this meal, and none of Abraham Lincoln sounded more like a farm boy when speaking on the stump them are on government assistance. in Illinois than when delivering presidential inaugural addresses; Martin But a bartender secretly records the remarks, and soon they’re being Luther King Jr. sounded more obviously like a minister when addressing his played continuously on MSNBC and CNN. Barack Obama is headed to fellow clergy in “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” than when addressing the naa second term in the White House. tion in the “I Have a Dream” speech. And Mitt Romney is left a private citizen like the rest of us, still In this regard, classical rhetoric jibes with common experience: good conscratching his head at his inability to address his remarks to a single, versation is suited to its audience. Plenty of high school students unacquainted knowable audience.

Where Am I? The Heart of Virginia offers beautiful scenery and architecture, from the gently rolling hills of Buckingham to the colorful storefronts of Farmville. “Where Am I?” offers residents and visitors a chance to identify one of our hidden gems across the region. If you think you know where this photo was taken, email your answer to whereami@farmvillethemag.com. We’ll draw one lucky name from among the correct answers for an annual subscription to Farmville the Magazine.

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Why I Love Farmville

David Wiley Q: What brought you to Farmville?

A: First, it was a dream of my father, Novey Wiley Sr., and the need for a quality men’s store. Not only a need for a men’s store but an opportunity to give back to the community. More than that, I saw it as a way to communicate to the young men in the community and surrounding areas about the workforce, life and how one can contribute to society. So far, I have spoken at Prince Edward High School, Longwood University, Hampden-Sydney College and churches in the area. Q: What’s your favorite thing about Farmville?

A: I love the community activities and gatherings — the Heart of Virginia Festival, parades, First Fridays, passing out candy to hundreds of kids for Halloween and other activities that include the locals, college students and surrounding counties. HampdenSydney College and Longwood University open their doors to the community for plays, concerts, seminars and much more. I love seeing the interaction and everyone working together. Q: How long have you owned your business?

A: Strutz has been in business for five years. Strutz sells men’s clothing, suits, hat, ties, T-shirts, as well as tuxedo rentals while offering group discounts to wedding parties, churches and college students. Q: What makes Farmville a great place for a small business owner?

A: Farmville is evolving and forever growing. You can see the development and the growth in Farmville just by looking at Longwood University and the evolution from Longwood College. Having a business in Farmville helps stimulate the economy in many ways; that’s why it’s important to shop local. I do this to stimulate the thought process of young men locally. The Town of Farmville welcomes you, especially if it’s something that’s needed. Farmville Town Manager Gerald Spates makes himself available for any questions or concerns you may have. The Farmville Police Department is very friendly, active and visible to the local business community, and they also stop in to make sure that everything is safe. Longwood’s Small Business Development Center is always there to give

advice and help with needed information. The local small businesses in the area make up a very close-knit community, and we have respect for each other. The local business owners will greet you with open arms, give advice and patronize each other. There are also many organizations and clubs in the area that are willing to help. Q: Describe the Farmville community.

A: One thought that comes to mind to describe the Farmville community is e pluribus unum (out of many, one). The Farmville community has many people from various backgrounds, races, religions, languages and ancestries, but yet are one. The people are friendly, curious, helpful, willing to give advice, very opinionated, and whenever there is a need the community is willing and able to pull together. In other words, diversity but yet unity is what I think of when I think about the Farmville community. Q: What is your favorite memory about being in Farmville?

A: Visiting and hanging out with my oldest brother and his friends at Longwood College and The Game Room. But also seeing that you can have fun in college while getting a good education and planning for your future is far more important.

For more than two centuries, Hampden-Sydney College has been dedicated to the formation of

good men and good citizens A liberal arts college for men, Hampden-Sydney is totally committed to the education and personal development of young men.

www.hsc.edu â&#x20AC;˘ (434) 223-6000

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