Short educational articles written by FoWB volunteers designed to inform local residents about the rich history in the Wilderness Area of Orange and Spotsylvania Counties in Virginia.
Click Here for a PDF document that contains all of the articles published in 2018
Click Here for a PDF document 0f 2019 articles
Click Here for a PDF document of 2020 articles
History in our Backyard (HIOB), a product of FoWB, was created by the Special Programs and Education Outreach Committees. It is a living and growing series of articles written by FoWB volunteers and designed to share the history of the Wilderness with the residents who live in and around this hallowed ground. The articles focus on either a particular event or a historical period that brings to life the area’s rich and vibrant history dating from the earliest settlers to the present day. These brief glimpses into the Wilderness’ history are intended to encourage residents of all ages living in and around Spotsylvania and Orange Counties to learn and appreciate the significant impact that this area has had on our local and national history.
The stories appearing in this compilation as well as in local social media capture our members’ wealth of knowledge about Wilderness history. They are not intended to be scholarly works but rather a narrative snapshot about the area. In the words of our President, this growing series of articles “will hopefully help local residents, and all visitors for that matter, realize that the local history…needs to be preserved and shared with generations to come.”
We welcome your comments and suggestions for improving our product and for future subjects. We would even welcome your participation as an author of an article on a topic that is of interest to you and would add to the knowledge of our readership.
– Dick Rankin, Education Outreach Committee Chairman, FoWB