The Orange County Historical Society celebrated its 60th anniversary this month.
The celebration, held at The Pavillion on Lakeland Farm, highlighted the organization’s work since its founding Dec. 7, 1965. President Ray Ezell said the society remains as vibrant as it was 60 years ago and maintains the mission of telling the history and stories of the people of Orange County.
“Fortunately Orange County is a place where people take its history seriously,” he said. “The history of this place and its people are worthy to tell. Those stories can still inform us and teach our children today.”
Currently, the society is working to research the pre-Civil War free Black population of the county. Ezell said the project is made possible through a grant from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture. He said the topic has received little focus in the past and will be one that will provide a cornerstone to link families to their history.
Keynote speaker, Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey, director of the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison’s Montpelier, said organizations like the historical society are critical in a democracy. She said an informed public is essential to maintaining a democracy and institutions like the society are collecting and preserving history.
“History is a way to give people access to stories that shape their lives and connect to the community,” Crawford-Lackey said.
One of those people who has been a staunch advocate for local history is Frank S. Walker, Jr. Walker is a well-known local historian, three-time author and a passionate supporter of the Orange County Historical Society. During the celebration, he was awarded the inaugural Frank S. Walker, Jr. Historic Preservation Award. The award will be given annually to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to local history and preservation in Orange County. Ezell said the award is named for Walker, but also honors the historians who came before him including J. Randolph Grymes, Jr., William H.B. Thomas and Ulysses Pete Joyner.
“[Frank] wants everyone to understand its in their recognition and on their behalf he lends his name to this award,” Ezell said.
In accepting the award, Walker said he sincerely and deeply appreciates the recognition “of not just me, but the recognition of the load stone, the talisman, the holy grail of working historians and that is preservation.”
For more information about the Orange County Historical Society, visit https://www.orangecovahist.org.
