Art at the Mill, Antique Cars and Historic Collections
Nathan Stalvey has been director of the Clarke County Historical Association since December. The Observer checked in with Nathan to hear what’s new.
How do you like being Director?
For me, there is no better job than the one I have. I get to work with history and art on a daily basis.
I’ve heard that there have been some staff changes at CCHA. What kind of changes?
On top of me becoming the new director in December, we have also hired Terrie Sheaffer as our bookkeeper, Roger Steyaert as our new mill manager and Tracy Smith as a cultural programs administrator. A lot of us are new, but we all love what we do.
Did the museum change its hours of operation?
Yes. We are now open Tuesday–Friday, 11–4pm. Saturdays are by appointment only.
How are things at the Burwell-Morgan Mill?
Splendid! We continue to be a big draw on the weekends, and are still grinding every Saturday. However, like with any structure built in the 1700s, it is not without its structural issues. We are addressing some of the smaller repairs, and are bringing in an historic site evaluator in the fall so that we have an idea of what repairs we need to plan for down the road. We are also going to be redoing the landscape in front of the Mill. Many thanks to the Garden Club of Virginia for doing this.
I heard there were some organizational issues with this past spring’s Art at the Mill show. What will you do to address those issues?
Art at the Mill continues to be a wildly successful show, but there are always challenges in running a show of this size. One of the first things I addressed was the hiring of Tracy Smith to serve as administrator of Art at the Mill. Tracy will serve as the main point of contact with the artists, manage and organize volunteers, organize the art drop off and pick up, and work with me on selecting jurors for the show. She will also work along with Snow Fielding and other volunteers to keep making this show amazing. Tracy is a long-time resident of Clarke County, and has volunteered at Art at the Mill for several years. Without a doubt, her presence will bring much more organization to the show!
Are there any thoughts on highlighting items from CCHA’s collection more to the public?
Be sure to check our website, our Facebook page and the Clarke County Observer as we highlight items from our collection more often!
What events do you have coming up?
On July 31, CCHA will hold its first ever live trivia challenge over at Barns of Rose Hill in downtown Berryville. Tickets can be purchased at Barns of Rose Hill’s website. Be sure to get your trivia team together today.
We are also partnering with White Post Restorations August 29 to celebrate their 75th anniversary. This event will feature tours of the shop, antique cars, raffles, cornhole, and food. Oh, and we are returning to doing two Art at the Mill shows per year starting with this fall’s show!
How do I become a member?
You can go to our website clarkehistory.org and click the icon on the top right of the page, or you can pick up a newsletter from the museum at 32 East Main Street or from the Burwell-Morgan Mill and fill out the membership form. You can also drop it by the office and say hello!
Do you need any help with volunteering?
Volunteers rock! We are always looking for volunteers. Whether it’s working down at the Burwell-Morgan Mill, helping our archivist Mary Morris with our collection, or helping out at one of our events, we could always use volunteer help. Feel free to contact CCHA at 540-955-2600 or director@clarkehistory.org and let us know how you would like to volunteer.