Early Craftsmen - CELEBRATION OF THE CENTURIES

All Manner of Useful Goods: Household Necessities and Craftsmanship in Early America: A Symposium on American Social History and Material Culture

Hosted by the Fairfax County Park Authority and George Mason University - History Depart.
Friday, March 28, 2008, 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.,

at George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.

Craftsmanship and hand-crafted objects necessary to the daily running of a household produced in early America, 1750-1850, is the focus of an upcoming symposium. Presentations, costumed interpretations and tabletop exhibits examine types of trades, how they operated and economic factors impacting American craft; the processes of ceramic and metal production; and utilitarian household goods of redware and stoneware, iron, copper and base metals, cooperage, basketry and other items.

Presenters & Exhibitors:
Katie Boardman, The Cherry Valley Group
* Donald Fennimore, Winterthur Museum
* Jay Gaynor, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Carson Hudson, Historical Diversions
James Koterski, Independent Historian
Michel Burton, The Swift Shuttles & Pat Lasus, Rabbit Ridge Spinning
* Kevin P. & Kathleen Clancy, Blacksmithing
* Walt & Mary Henderson, Henderson & Vinci Cabinetmaking
* Kathryn Polletto, High Country Basketry Guild
* Marshall Scheetz, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Cooperage

Cost: $65.00. Advance registration is required and must be received by March 21, 2008.

For information and registration forms, email susan.clark@fairfaxcounty.gov or phone Museum Collections at (703) 631-1429 or FAX (703) 631-8319.

Carter's Grove Plantation - Sold $15.3 million

The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has sold Carter's Grove Plantation - an 18th century mansion built by one of Virginia's founding families - for $15.3 million.

Mr. Halsey Minor purchased the property, which includes a Georgian style mansion and 400 acres that are subject to a conservation easement, as well as 76 acres adjoining the property.

Minor says he'll use the site as a residence and center for a thoroughbred horse breeding program.

The property was purchased in 1709 by Virginia planter Robert "King" Carter. The foundation has owned the 35-room, two-story home and land since 1969.

Citing financial pressure, the foundation announced plans to close Carter's Grove to the public in 2002. The home was shuttered in 2003.

Robert Carter can be linked to many Petersburg and Dinwiddie County's early residents.

Halsey Minor (born 1964 in Charlottesville, Virginia) is a technology entrepreneur who founded CNET in 1993 (initial plans for the company began in 1992). Minor ran CNET for 8 years during which time it became one of the Internet's first companies to achieve profitability. The company's many achievements were recognized in 1999 when CNET was selected as one of only 2 Internet companies to join the elite NASDAQ 100 which included companies such as Intel, Microsoft, Cisco, Home Depot, and Dell. Minor also developed 2 other spin-off companies which independent of CNET became public entities: Vignette Software and Snap/NBCi. Minor is currently investing in new companies in a broad range of fields via Minor Ventures.
Minor attended Woodberry Forest School and the University of Virginia, where he was a member of St. Elmo Hall and received a degree in anthropology. After graduation, he worked at Merrill Lynch, before moving on to start his own company. In the late 1980s, he collaborated briefly with Jeff Bezos, the future founder of Amazon.com on a personalized news business plan. Minor was also the founding and largest investor as well as silent partner in the development of salesforce.com.
On September 4, 2007, Minor announced the development of a new 5 star hotel located in downtown Charlottesville. The hotel is intended to be 10 stories and continue the ongoing revitalization of historic downtown Charlottesville.