Mention the word ‘toy soldier’ and many an old man remembers having a set of colorfully painted or unpainted plastic soldiers as a child. Shoeboxes were full of Spacemen, Cowboys, Knights, Indians and Civil War figures. The fact that toy soldiers have been around since ancient Egyptian times attests to their timelessness. Such noted collectors as Winston Churchill and H.G. Wells were known to do battle with small armies.
Visitor Center Staff member Jim Stevenson collects and models war game 15mm (3/4-inch tall)miniatures. He started painting miniatures twenty-five years ago and his collection has expanded from a few hundred to over 9,000 today. Currently, he has armies from the Crusades, Napoleonic Wars, Revolutionary War, War Between the States and WWII (North Africa and the Eastern Front, as well as ships and planes from WWI and WWII. He says they have multiplied and taken over his basement!
Painting miniatures (or as his wife calls them, “little men”) is a hobby where he can delve into the history of uniforms, conflicts and military weaponry. He says he finds it relaxing to paint and rewarding when he gets a favorite unit or adversary ready to battle it out on a table top.
War gaming with little men has become a worldwide phenomenon with many active clubs. H.G. Wells wrote the first rules for playing with toy soldiers titled “Little Wars.” In his words it was “a game for boys from 12 to 150 and for that more intelligent sort of girl who likes boys’ games and books.”
This is definitely a “must see” exhibit that will be in the Visitor Center until September. The Visitor Center and Museum is open every Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm.
• Foster a spirit of cooperation between existing organizations, writers, historians, genealogists, collectors, preservationists, and other members of the Shenandoah County community.
• Aid in the collection and creation of materials and publications about the history of Shenandoah County and ensure that they are preserved and made available to the community.
• Support efforts by citizens, organizations and government to preserve historic buildings and sites.
• Share history through programs and exhibits.
The Shenandoah County Historical Society was founded in 1985 and is established as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is completely volunteer driven. The Society is sustained by memberships, donations, grants and profits from book sales. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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A Short History of Page County VA
Harry Strickler
In the first half of the 18th Century, it was believed that the first settlement in the Shenandoah Valley was at Massanutten in 1776 in what is now Page County. Old homes, excerpts from court records, the Civil War, towns and villages, Shenandoah National Park, churches education, industry, Indian mounds, biography and genealogy information can all be found in this book. Published in 1952; reprinted in 1996. 427 pages.
Hardcover
Item# 3016
Price: $43
Members: $40
Arrival of THE FIRST AFRiCANS in Virginia
Ric Murphy
In 16619, a group of thirty-two African men, women and children arrived on the shores of Virginia, after having been kidnapped in the royal city of Kabasa, Angola and forced aboard the Portuguese slave ship San Juan Bautista. The ship was attacked by privateers and taken to the English New World colony.
Softcover
Item# 3014
Price: $23.00
Members: $22.00
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Arrival of THE FIRST AFRiCANS in Virginia • Ric Murphy • In 16619, a group of thirty-two African men, women and children arrived on the shores of Virginia, after having been kidnapped in the royal city of Kabasa, Angola and forced aboard the Portuguese slave ship San Juan Bautista. The ship was attacked by privateers and taken to the English New World colony. Softcover • Item #3014 • Price: $23.00 Members: $22.00
The Great Valley Road of Virginia • Edited by Warren R. Hofstra & Karl Raitz • This book features original, previously unpublished chapters by leading scholars who delve into four significant periods of the road's development - from prehistory to colonial to American Revolution to present day. Known as the Valley Pike, or U.S. 11, it was part of the longest road in early American history from PA to GA. 2010. 309 pages. Softcover • Item #3002 • Price: $29 Members: $28
Scandalous Son: The Elusive Search for Dolley Madison's Son, John Payne Todd • Philip Bigler • This book tackles the dark side of the American Dream, the saga of rags-to-riches in just three generations. It is the tragic,albeit all to common, story of a promising heir battling family and society's expectations --and losing it all. 2015. 352 pages. Softcover • Item #3010 • Price: $21 Members: $20
Historic Homes of Northern Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia • John W. Wayland • One of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken in the Virginia historical field. Wayland has followed his well-known method of careful planning, extensive research and artistic presentation. A beautifully-illustrated book on the historic homes as they were in the 1930s. Black & white images. 1937. Reprinted 2008. 629 pages. 10 5/8 x 7 5/8. Softcover • Item #3012 • Price: $70 Members: $65DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
