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Information & Sources:

This slideshow is based on the book Lessons from a Poet's Garden: The Restoration of the Historic Garden of Harlem Renaissance Poet Anne Spencer, Lynchburg, Virginia by Jane Baber White, who also drafted the captions for these slides. DHR intern Ama Ansah, a senior at Harrisonburg High School, assisted in the selection of photographs and organization of the slideshow. All historic (black-and-white or sepia-toned) photos in this slideshow are courtesy of the Spencer House and Museum. Color photos are courtesy of Jane Baber White or the Hillside Garden Club.

Sources:

Photo
Jane Baber White's book, according to White, "has a two-fold purpose." First, it documents the garden restoration process and the work of the Hillside Garden Club in saving the garden. Secondly, it offers guidelines and lessons learned by the club during its 28-plus years restoring the garden—"lessons that may be of value to any other group or individuals, wherever they may be, who might be contemplating a similar garden restoration."   

Proceeds from the sale of the book go toward supporting the Anne Spencer Garden. The book can be purchased from the museum.

Jane Baber White is a lifelong resident of Lynchburg. She has overseen a number of restoration projects, and has received local, state, and national recognition for her work at Lynchburg's historic Old City Cemetery, where she was director for 27 years. She is the author of three books.

To learn more about visiting the Anne Spencer House and Garden,
check out its website.

To read the nomination form that earned the Anne Spencer House a listing in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places, go here.


Slideshow © 2012, Department of Historic Resources and Commonwealth of Virginia

Edited, sequenced, designed, and produced for the web by Randy Jones, DHR.

To inquire about collaborating with DHR on a "Historic Virginia, Site of the Month" slideshow, contact Randy Jones. (A site or building must be listed in the state or national landmark registers or contribute to a historic district listed in the registers.)