Please note that the meeting will be Monday, December 10, 2007, at 7:00 P. M. at the Surry County, Va. Recreation Center.

Our Speaker will be Beth Roach Park Ranger-Education Specialist at Chippokes Plantation State Park.

Beth Roach is proud to have been born and raised in Surry County. She grew up within walking distance of the Town of Surry and learned how to swim in the James by Scotland Wharf. Being so immersed in history had a great impact on Beth. She didn't realize how important it was to be from Surry until she attended James Madison University. Many of her classmates grew up in suburban and urban environments without much appreciation of their hometowns. Beth found herself talking about Surry on a regular basis, for which she received much teasing. Little did she or her friends know then that she could make a career out of it!

While attending James Madison University, she donated some of her time as a volunteer for Chippokes Plantation State Park and as an intern for the Surry County Historical Society. In 2004, Beth earned a degree in History with an emphasis on Public History. Shortly after graduation, Beth was hired to be an intern for the Jamestown 2007 Community Program. For six months she witnessed the behind-scenes action of planning for this important year. After her internship was completed in the spring of 2005, she went to work for Chippokes Plantation State Park as a seasonal interpreter. Finally, Beth was getting paid to do what she did best-talk about Surry!

In the fall of 2005, she was hired by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation to be an Outreach Educator. This unique job sent her to schools all over Virginia to teach programs about Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center using reproduction artifacts. After the school year was completed, she went to work in the Civilian Conservation Corps Museum located within Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County. This opportunity was a great honor to Beth for her grandfather, Benton B. Roach Sr., of Surry County was a CCC member.

In January of 2007, Beth was chosen to fill a new full-time position at Chippokes Plantation State Park to manage the interpretive program for this significant year in our nation's history.

For this December meeting, Beth will use reproduction artifacts to highlight exciting developments at Chippokes Plantation through a hands-on, interactive program entitled, "Red, White, Black: Three Cultures and 400 Years."

Beth's contact information:

Beth Roach
Park Ranger-Interpreter
Chippokes Plantation State Park
695 Chippokes Park Road
Surry, VA 23883
Phone: 757-294-3625 or 3728
Fax: 757-294-3299
E-mail: [email protected]

Good News!

Dedication of The Society's new building and home will take place Sunday, March 30, 2008, 3:00 p.m. at the Bank Street site. This journey of constructing a building on Society's property began around June 2006. Shortly thereafter we had to abandon operations in the "Old Jail" building then located behind the Surry Circuit Courthouse building to make way for its eventual move and the future renovations (now in progress) to the Circuit Courthouse.

It has been a journey of overwhelming community support, dedication on the part of society members, and much excitement over the opportunity to develop a place to store and showcase the County's historical collections. It is from this space that we will continue to work at fostering an environment of historical appreciation, collecting artifacts, and providing opportunities to educate society members and citizens regarding county history.

We have received notice that the construction company has completed their work on the building. The masonry contractor is laboring feverishly to install steps at all entrances and a ramp to accommodate wheelchair accessibility. The building committee members, Claude Reeson, Kenneth Holmes, Bess Richardson, and Frank Judkins, whom we owe much gratitude, will schedule an inspection with officials from C&K Homes, Inc. to bring this phase of work to completion. After this inspection a final payment of $27,500.00 will need to be made to the construction company, thus completing our contractual relationship.

A training event has been scheduled for board members and volunteers focusing on society's operations, functionality of building space, and routine maintenance of the new building and grounds. You are invited to attend. Look for announcements informing you on the place, time, and date! Thank you all for any and all contributions you have or will make. We are eager for you to use these new facilities.

I have published the Society's newsletter for over ten years, starting with our pre-organization letters. I have enjoyed it immensely, but the well runs dry. It is time for new younger blood to take over the job. I hope to continue to write some articles for the newsletter.

Some suggestions and challenges! Articles should include the history of all parts of the county, all centuries, and all races. Go light on genealogy, for example. Most readers are not interested in my Atkins blood line. Cover not only information on the Society, but other organizations in the county promoting our county and our past. Stay out of politics unless it directly affects the Historical Society. Have more information for our youth.

Promote our archives. They are awesome for a young organization such as ours. Few ten-year-old organizations have the archival files we have. Once we are moved into our new building and have organized our files, this will become more apparent. They are our Crown Jewels.

So- thanks for the opportunity and great support you have given me. Best wishes for our very bright future.
Jim Atkins

1930-40s picture of Rogers Store. Note 10-gallon visible gas pump [Gulf]. Across the road is the well just past the Crape Myrtle bush. Carsley Methodist Church is in the background.

Just past Rogers Store is his warehouse, with stables just behind. John N. Ramey's Store, now the fellowship hall of Carsley Methodist Church, is across Rt. 615 from the Church, with his small warehouse just past his store.

Note the dirt road and mud puddles. Not seen, but to the right, was Watt Rogers Garage. It was unusual in that it was open at both ends. Seems that Watt Rogers had trouble stopping his Model T Ford in the right place. This way he could drive through and try again.

We have many Surry BOOKS for sale. Most of them cannot be gotten anywhere else! We also have the beautiful Surry Courthouse medallian and the new 1607-2007 ship pin/pendant. Take a look at them and order with the BOOKS!