history’s stories: artifact

I grew up with the term ARTIFACT. I was always collecting something at an early age such as rocks, marbles, arrow heads and civil war relics. When I was a teenager in the 1950's, I was into relic hunting for Civil War items. I was told that I had one of the biggest Civil War artifact collections in the area. Today there are many large collections locally and nationwide. Artifact by definition is an object made by a human being that includes tools, art and clothing at a certain time and place. A shard of broken pottery or a glass item can also be in the definition. Artifacts are useful to Archaeologists and scholars trying to study and learn about the past. Many of our ancient cultures did not have a written record of their past. I am amazed at times when we try to learn about events that occurred in our lifetime which is less than a hundred years. Recently my friend Jeff Scott was asking about researching his father's bakery SCOTTY'S that existed in the 1960's. I am often frustrated how difficult it can be to research something that occurred in our lifetime, much less hundreds of years in the past. We are fortunate with all the electronic files on the internet and in our City library. With research of old business directories and tax files I was able to find references to the history of the bakery and it is still a work in progress. Fredericksburg is unique in that we have individuals that are interested in the history of the city and the adjacent areas especially the historic attractions related to colonial history and the Civil War with four major battles having taken place within a few years of each other. Many of us have family histories that go back to the founding of the town in 1728, up to the present times. Much of that is related to the ARTIFACT, which could be a tool, paper currency, or a piece of furniture that was made or used in the home. Recently there was a story on Goolricks Pharmacy one of the oldest in the United States still in operation. A nice

history’s stories Artifa By Ralph Artifact is a Goolricks medicine bottle embossed with the name or a written prescription for medicine. ct “Tuffy” Hicks The value of any of these artifacts may vary from a few dollars up into several thousand. A lady on Washington Avenue was working in her flower garden when she found a civil war Mississippi belt buckle that she framed and hung in her hall until she was offered well over $15,000.The point that I would hope each of you would remember if you found or have any historical documents or personal items, that you would have them examined by someone that is honest and knowledgeable about such items. We are fortunate to have the National Park Service), Fredericksburg Area Museum, and several Antique businesses in the city with owners such as Bill Beck, Tim Garrett, Bill Henderson just to name a few local knowledgeable experts. In the last few years, the reproduction market has expanded with hundreds of items being manufactured in China and NOT being marked (Replica/Reproduction) the bulk of these item are United States coins. It was easy to tell at first as they were steel silver plated. A magnet would pick them up so at once we knew they were fake, however, they now make them using silver and Nickle but a close examination an expert can tell. Buyers of coins have been cheated out of thousands of dollars by these to good to be true deals. Recently hundreds of these fake coins have come into the Fredericksburg area. The same is true with many of the Civil War items especially Southern Buckles and Buttons that are valued into the thousands of dollars. I recommend always buy from a seller that will stand behind his items and issue a refund. Collecting historical items is always a fun learning experience. ABC (Always Be Careful) Dedicated To: Lenny Smith, Jimmy Seay, Max Garland, Leroy Hicks, & Martha Scott Ross Tuffy is Front Porch’s Resident Historian

What’s in A Light?

Embry Power Station

By jon gerlach

As an archaeologist I have photographed many old ruins, from the abandoned hospitals on Ellis Island to "Old West" ghost towns. Locally we have our ruins too, and few places in Fredericksburg match the majesty and mystery of the iconic Embry Power Station.

Proudly standing along the river like a sentinel that never left its post, this antique hydroelectric plant at 1709 Caroline Street once powered all the incandescent lights in Fredericksburg.

If your house is old like many in Fredericksburg, you might still see remnants of this outdated electrical system attached to your beams and rafters. Known as "knob-and-tube" wiring, the wires were held in place by porcelain knob insulators attached to the framing members. To get from room to room, the wires passed through the joists inside porcelain tube insulators. Both the neutral and hot wires ran parallel but were spaced apart for safety. The wires were insulated by a rubberized cloth, which deteriorates over time. There was no ground wire. As legend goes, a scurrying mouse or squirrel could chew through the insulation and meet its demise by electrocution, but I've never seen it happen myself.

Embry Power Station was built shortly after 1910. It used water to make electricity. The water came out of the gates upriver at Embry Dam, flowed into the canal and down Ford Street, and filled the large metal silos that still flank the front of the building. From there, water pressure in the silos forced the water through six turbines, whose spinning blades in turn spun a generator that produced the electricity. After leaving the turbines, the water flowed through large flumes under the building and back into the river.

This system produced up to 3,000 kilowatts of electricity for some 2,000 customers in town. Until 1926, nearly all of Fredericksburg got its electricity from this building. Then, the station was acquired by the Virginia Electric Power Company, and soon the network was connected to other generators in Virginia. Being part of a wider network assured that Fredericksburg would have a steady source of electricity during dry spells when the water level of the Rappahannock River was too low at Embry Dam to send much water to the Embry Power Station. This system was operational for around 40 years. During that time, Embry Power Station was the hub of industrial activity in the Historic Old Mill District.

In the 1960s, Embry Power Station was retired and our electricity came from elsewhere. After another 40 years or so, the Embry Dam was demolished in 2004, returning the river to its natural flow and providing recreational users the ability to enjoy this Virginia Scenic River from its headwaters at Chester Gap all the way down to the Chesapeake Bay.

Embry Power Station is poised for another chapter in its long life. We remember that special night in 2017, when the building was illuminated by magnificent colors. Many folks would like to see it converted into a fine dining restaurant. Owner and visionary Ed Whalen points to Rocketts Landing in Richmond, a similar project that converted an industrial waterfront site into a popular urban/natural destination. Perhaps one day Embry Power Station will regain its place as a vibrant part of local life.

So … what's in a Light? Here … a proud old icon of local industry that patiently awaits its next chapter.

An attorney and retired archaeologist, Jon Gerlach serves on Fredericksburg's City Council, Ward Two. Photo by Jon Gerlach