We have arrived!  Wow what a walk to

Chinn Park Regional Library!  

We are enjoying a nice break with "Squirt."

Chinn Family

Portrait of Mrs. Chinn located in the lobby of Chinn Park Regional Library

Mary Jane was born a third-generation slave ca. 1794 on a plantation near what is now Lake Ridge.  She married fellow slave Thomas Chinn, with whom she had 8 children: Henry, James, Oscar, John, William, George, Robert, and Fielder.  Like many slaves at the time, Mary Jane and Thomas continued to work on the plantation after emancipation, where Mary Jane served as a cook in the main house, and Thomas worked in the stables.  In 1889, after their former master, Henry F. Roe, died, the Chinn family purchased around 500 acres of land near the plantation for $3 an acre.  The family built houses on the land, and flourished through the generations in Prince William County, despite the difficulties created by racism and segregation at the time. 

When deciding what to name the new recreation center and park in 1989, the Prince William County Park Authority received a petition with hundreds of signatures to name the park after one of the few pre-Civil War families still residing in the county. 

REFERENCES:

Masters, B. (1989, December 14). Memorial to a Matriarch: Park Named for Woman Born a Slave in County. Washington Post, p. VA-1.

(1969, September 17). A Milestone for Mrs. Chinn. Potomac News, p. C-1

Mr. John and Squirt!

Mr. John, our male children's librarian, is very popular with storytime attendees.  Squirt, our branch turtle, is a celebrity in our library.  Often children are overheard saying, "I have to say bye to Squirt before we leave" or "Let's go see Squirt!"  Squirt even has his own Facebook page which is well liked.  

Mr. John

Squirt attempting to "accompany" Mr. John at storytime with his banjo!

Chinn Park Regional Library

Making More New Friends!!!

The Art of Quilting - Alice

The Kempsville Library Quilt Display has become a tradition since its inception over 15 years ago.  Carol Jordan, a former Kempsville Library staff member and a member of the Tidewater Quilt Guild, envisioned the display of a quilt to cover a large wall located near the Accounts Desk.  This wall area, visible from all angles of the public floor, was the perfect place to display these full-sized works of art. The staff began to hang Carol’s original, handmade quilts for the enjoyment of staff and customers.  As the seasons changed, everyone looked forward to the next featured quilt.  Even though Carol has retired from the library department, she is still an avid library user and assists us in continuing this tradition.  As the seasons change, Carol, the staff, and members of the Tidewater Quilt Guild lend their quilts for this display.  Customers return regularly to see what the next eye-catching design will be!

Our own Robin made this beautiful "I Love October" quilt!

Hello, Heritage Public Library!

We are so thrilled to have reached our destination at Heritage Public Library in Charles City and New Kent counties.  While we thought our virtual visits to other public libraries were a great idea, we didn’t know how the staff of destination libraries would respond.  We chose a library we knew little or nothing about and have enjoyed our interactions by phone, by email, on the blog, and hopefully in person at VLA next Friday.  A big thank you to Barbara Winters, Director, and the staff of the Heritage Public Library for their very warm welcome to our band of walkers from Virginia Beach Public Library.  Please feel free to join us as we walk to our destination in Prince William County.

This great staff (some not shown here)

 walked over 1,700,000 steps. 

Robots in the Library - check this out!

Heritage Public Library of New Kent County is purchasing LEGO Education WeDo Intro Classroom Packs and PCs,
designed for a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum.
This is all thanks to a $5,000 grant that was awarded to them by the Rotary Club.

“This grant will enable volunteer Rotarians and students from the high school’s Interact Club to participate in the implementation of a STEM curriculum at the Library in New Kent County,” according to Winters, Library Director.  “We are thrilled to receive the grant, which will allow us to collaborate with New Kent schools to expand access in LEGO training into the elementary grades.”  

Rotary District 7600 awarded a $5,000 grant to the Heritage Public Library at a meeting of the New Kent Club on Monday, September 15.  Pictured (L to

R) are Judith Harris, grant writer; John Moyer, President of the New Kent Club; Barbara Winters, Library Director; Frank Ferrante, Area Governor for District 7600;  and,  Carol Woodard, District 7600's Foundation Operation Chair.  The grant was matched by a donation of $600 from the New Kent Club."

Charles City Branch (Heritage Public Library) - Barbara

Hi, from Heritage Public Library!  Here is a picture of our children’s story time in our Charles City branch.  Children's coordinator, "Miss Margaret", leading the children in song! Story time there is held on Monday mornings at 10:30.  We also work with the schools and are seeing pre-K and Kindergarten classes visit the library at least once a month during school hours!

Margaret stretching with CC children.

Charles City Branch is currently (and temporarily -- since 2008!) housed in an unused courtroom that measures 2000 square feet. Charles City is the only jurisdiction in Virginia that has not had its own separate library facility, and our building program is currently stalled due to economic exigency.

Interestingly, Charles City is one of the original 4 shires in Virginia, and its Center for Local History (which will someday be housed with the library) has very valuable primary source material.

New Kent County First Ladies! - Trinika

Many books have been written about First Lady Martha Washington, however, did you know that she was born on a plantation in New Kent County, Virginia? Find out more about this historic woman in the biography:

Martha Washington: An American life

By Patricia Brady

(Publishers Weekly) The portrait of the beautiful, elegant young woman on the cover of this excellent biography will stun anyone used to seeing pictures of Martha Washington as a white-haired, matronly woman. And in a richly woven tapestry of social history and biography, historian Brady re-creates the 18th-century world of wealthy Virginia planters into which the elegant Martha, née Dandridge, was born and the "joyful duet" of her marriage to America's first president. Though born to wealth, Martha (1731–1802) was well schooled in domestic skills—from killing and plucking fowl to preserving fruits and vegetables— and the expected social graces. Just before she turned 19, Martha married Daniel Custis—whose father initially opposed the union, but Martha managed to persuade him otherwise—and moved to his large plantation, where she raised their two children until Custis's death in 1757. Two years later, as the owner of Custis's vast estate, she married George Washington and became the wife of a young colonel whose ambitions and military and political ingenuity catapulted him into the leadership of the colonies and later the republic. Devoted to George, Martha accompanied him on his sojourns during the Revolutionary War, and her considerable social skills were crucial in helping her husband navigate the difficult political waters of the presidency. Brady's splendid biography offers a compelling new portrait of this passionate, committed founding mother who has unjustly been obscured by others, such as Abigail Adams. (June 27) --Staff (Reviewed May 2, 2005) (Publishers Weekly, vol 252, issue 18, p187)

Little has been written about First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler, but she too was born on a plantation in New Kent County, Virginia. According to the National Library of First Ladies, she died only a year after her husband’s incumbency of the White House. To read more about First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler visit the National Library of first Ladies website! 

We have made it across the tunnel and are well on our way to the Heritage Public Library.  As you will see, we had a great time crossing the tunnel.  Take a look at our pictures in "Having Fun"!!

Today is the first day of the next healthy challenge.  Be sure to check out the challenge.  It is also a beautiful day to get outside and get in those steps!  Pick your favorite place to go and take some pictures to share.

What would you say is the most important part of a journey?  To me, it is the first step. It is the moment when you propel yourself forward and your mind begins to energize. Imagine sparklers going off in your mind electrifying every step you take with excitement and anticipation.  You have taken a step towards a place you imagine to be worth an adventure.

Did you know, according to the American Library Association, there are an estimated 120,096 libraries of all kinds in the United States today?  Well, we certainly cannot visit them all but on this journey, we hope to visit as many as we can and make many new friends along the way.   We are going to get there step- by-step, day-by-day, and week-by-week.  We will step our way to a healthier body and reach you from our homes, on our breaks and lunch breaks, and sometimes; yes, even at work.

Our adventures start today.  I say adventures because, “No two persons ever read the same book.” -Edmund Wilson.   Great minds might think alike but the adventure, is truly your own!  Come along with us while we share our journey to Heritage Public Library.  It is going to be a great first step, I just know it – I feel the sparkle!