For the Love of Books LbNA #65423
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 31, 2013 |
| Location: | Dowtown |
| City: | Harrisonburg |
| County: | Rockingham |
| State: | Virginia |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | BBC  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Not yet found! |
| Last found: | N/A |
| Status: | a |
| Last edited: | Jul 31, 2013 |
For the LOVE of Books Letterbox
This letterbox is in downtown Harrisonburg, VA
1) Begin at the Main Branch of the Massanutten Regional Library located at 174 S. Main Street. In the summer of 2011, our Boys Book Club (after reading the book Lemonade Wars) operated a lemonade stand at the library. We raised over $250.00 to upgrade some of the kids nonfiction books. Check out a book about bugs next time you are in the library, and look for a dedication page…..it might just be one of ‘ours’.
2) With your back to the library, stand on the corner of Bruce street and Main Street. From this vantage point, you can see the two oldest buildings in Harrisonburg: To your left, just across Bruce is the Hardesty Higgins House. Construction began on this house in 1848 by Dr, Henry Higgins; and then was completed in 1853 by Harrisonburg’s first mayor, Issac Hardesty. Straight ahead, (down Bruce Street) is The Thomas Harrison House. It was the first permanent structure in this area when it was built in 1750, and it remains the oldest standing building in Harrisonburg today.
3) Cross Main Street, and walk west past the Thomas Harrison House. Turn right into the parking lot behind the Wine building (a red brick building). Continue walking North through the parking lot until you see a bridge that crosses Blacks Run Creek.
4) There is a spring in the basement of The Thomas Harrison House, as well as a larger spring on Court Square. Both springs run into Blacks Run Creek. A natural water source was instrumental in the founding of Harrisonburg (then called Rocktown) in this location. Cross the bridge towards the parking deck and turn left, walking South behind Asbury Church. Continue through the parking lot at the back of Asbury.
5) Just after you pass a white barn, turn left and walk East up an alley. The Warren-Sipe House will be on your left. It was built in 1856 as a residence for an attorney who served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The building also served as an informal hospital during the war. Since 1995, this has been the Quilt Museum. It currently houses over 300 quilts and other various exhibits.
6) When you reach main street, turn right continue walking south. The City Municipal Building will be the third building you come to. Prior to 1861, this site housed The Harrisonburg Female Academy. But by 1862, it became the Confederate General Hospital. It served as a fully operational hospital through the Civil War and until 1879 when that building was demolished and was replaced with the building that stands before you today.
7) After the flag pole, turn right and walk east towards the Turner Pavilion. This structure primarily houses the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, but also plays host to various other recreational and musical events held throughout the year in the city. The beginnings of the Harrisonburg Farmers Market can be traced to the 1950s. It grew in popularity over the years, and the Farmers Market was operated out of various parking lots over the years, until it found its permanent home here in 2008. Now the Turner Pavilion is the place to be in Harrisonburg on Saturday mornings!
8) As you approach the Farmers Market, look to your right and try to identify Harrisonburg’s addition to the Virginia LOVEworks tourism campaign. Harrisonburg is one of 27 (and growing) sites in the state with custom LOVEwork statues.
9) Walk to the statue and take a moment to appreciate the meaning and symbolism of each letter, and how it relates to Harrisonburg. L=Ethnic and Cultural Diversity; O=Agricultural Heritage; V=Outdoor Recreation; E=Arts. All the items used to make the letters are locally sourced and re-purposed materials. Each letter also stands upon a bluestone slab, which can trace back to the origins of when the city was known as ROCKTOWN.
10) Put your back to the letter E and walk South about 50 paces towards the back of the City Municipal Building. Pause for a moment and take in the Welcome Home Garden. This Garden was dedicated in 2001, and to take the description straight from the Fine Earth Website (who donate the park):
“To our knowledge it is the only public park of its kind in America. Unlike memorial gardens, this one is a tribute to the present and future, and to the Shenandoah Valley's long-standing tradition of service to others. The Welcome Home Garden is a living statement of appreciation and support for young men and women returning home from service overseas as soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen, missionaries and Peace Corps volunteers.”
11) If you would like, take a moment to sign the guest book at the park, and then continue toward the black stairs attached to the City Municipal building. Look under the first black step for our letterbox.
This letterbox is in downtown Harrisonburg, VA
1) Begin at the Main Branch of the Massanutten Regional Library located at 174 S. Main Street. In the summer of 2011, our Boys Book Club (after reading the book Lemonade Wars) operated a lemonade stand at the library. We raised over $250.00 to upgrade some of the kids nonfiction books. Check out a book about bugs next time you are in the library, and look for a dedication page…..it might just be one of ‘ours’.
2) With your back to the library, stand on the corner of Bruce street and Main Street. From this vantage point, you can see the two oldest buildings in Harrisonburg: To your left, just across Bruce is the Hardesty Higgins House. Construction began on this house in 1848 by Dr, Henry Higgins; and then was completed in 1853 by Harrisonburg’s first mayor, Issac Hardesty. Straight ahead, (down Bruce Street) is The Thomas Harrison House. It was the first permanent structure in this area when it was built in 1750, and it remains the oldest standing building in Harrisonburg today.
3) Cross Main Street, and walk west past the Thomas Harrison House. Turn right into the parking lot behind the Wine building (a red brick building). Continue walking North through the parking lot until you see a bridge that crosses Blacks Run Creek.
4) There is a spring in the basement of The Thomas Harrison House, as well as a larger spring on Court Square. Both springs run into Blacks Run Creek. A natural water source was instrumental in the founding of Harrisonburg (then called Rocktown) in this location. Cross the bridge towards the parking deck and turn left, walking South behind Asbury Church. Continue through the parking lot at the back of Asbury.
5) Just after you pass a white barn, turn left and walk East up an alley. The Warren-Sipe House will be on your left. It was built in 1856 as a residence for an attorney who served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. The building also served as an informal hospital during the war. Since 1995, this has been the Quilt Museum. It currently houses over 300 quilts and other various exhibits.
6) When you reach main street, turn right continue walking south. The City Municipal Building will be the third building you come to. Prior to 1861, this site housed The Harrisonburg Female Academy. But by 1862, it became the Confederate General Hospital. It served as a fully operational hospital through the Civil War and until 1879 when that building was demolished and was replaced with the building that stands before you today.
7) After the flag pole, turn right and walk east towards the Turner Pavilion. This structure primarily houses the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, but also plays host to various other recreational and musical events held throughout the year in the city. The beginnings of the Harrisonburg Farmers Market can be traced to the 1950s. It grew in popularity over the years, and the Farmers Market was operated out of various parking lots over the years, until it found its permanent home here in 2008. Now the Turner Pavilion is the place to be in Harrisonburg on Saturday mornings!
8) As you approach the Farmers Market, look to your right and try to identify Harrisonburg’s addition to the Virginia LOVEworks tourism campaign. Harrisonburg is one of 27 (and growing) sites in the state with custom LOVEwork statues.
9) Walk to the statue and take a moment to appreciate the meaning and symbolism of each letter, and how it relates to Harrisonburg. L=Ethnic and Cultural Diversity; O=Agricultural Heritage; V=Outdoor Recreation; E=Arts. All the items used to make the letters are locally sourced and re-purposed materials. Each letter also stands upon a bluestone slab, which can trace back to the origins of when the city was known as ROCKTOWN.
10) Put your back to the letter E and walk South about 50 paces towards the back of the City Municipal Building. Pause for a moment and take in the Welcome Home Garden. This Garden was dedicated in 2001, and to take the description straight from the Fine Earth Website (who donate the park):
“To our knowledge it is the only public park of its kind in America. Unlike memorial gardens, this one is a tribute to the present and future, and to the Shenandoah Valley's long-standing tradition of service to others. The Welcome Home Garden is a living statement of appreciation and support for young men and women returning home from service overseas as soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen, missionaries and Peace Corps volunteers.”
11) If you would like, take a moment to sign the guest book at the park, and then continue toward the black stairs attached to the City Municipal building. Look under the first black step for our letterbox.