Key to the Past
From the Archivist
Questions about how we acquire the material in our collections often come up during tours of the Archives. Most items are received through donation from individuals, families, and organizations who recognize that the materials they hold are historically significant and want to see them preserved In this newsletter, however, we highlight a new addition to our collections that was recently acquired through auction
When one of our volunteers noticed that two small batches of letters from the Ruth Jackson Family of Winchester were being sold through an online auction house, we sprang into action. Acquiring documents associated with the Jackson family, owners of a historic Black business known as Ruth’s Tea Room, was a priority and part of a continuing effort to collect and save material related to Winchester’s Black community, one of our collection strengths.
STEWART BELL JR. ARCHIVES
Spring 2026
The seller, a private individual who specialized in Black Americana, purchased the items when the restaurant had closed in the early 2000s Bidding on items at auction is always nerve wracking, so we were delighted when our bid was successful and both batches of letters made their way to us from North Carolina We are hopeful that more may come up for auction in the future In the meantime, you can learn more about this acquisition and Ruth’s Tea Room in our Collection Highlight’s column
Information about other accessions is available in our quarterly acquisitions report, as well as details of upcoming local history and genealogy programs.
Lorna Loring Archives Manager
Cyanotype by Eva LeConte of unidentified group, March 31, 1894. Eva LeConte Collection, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Library.
Events and Programs
Family History Hunters: Directories
Thursday, April 9
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Bowman Library
A Tale of Two Postmasters: The Winchester Post Office During the Civil War
Saturday, April 18
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Benham Gallery, Handley Library
Lineage Society: Application Help
Wednesday, April 29
10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Benham Gallery, Handley Library
Webinar: Prospecting for Family History in Unexpected Places
Wednesday, May 13
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Virtual Event, Zoom Registration Required
How to Apply to the Daughters of the American Revolution
Thursday, May 14
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Benham Gallery, Handley Library
Family History Hunters: Female Ancestors
Thursday, May 14
10:30 am to 12:30 pm Bowman Library
Thursday 1 0:30am-12:30pm
Collection Highlights: Vivienne Jackson Family Collection
The Vivienne Jackson Family Collection contains materials related to the Jackson family and Ruth’s Tea Room, including letters, business records, photographs, etc.
Ruth E. P. Jackson (1896-1953) and Boyd Franklin Jackson (1894-1983) opened Ruth’s Tea Room at 128 E. Cecil Street in 1925. In 1926, Vivienne L. Jackson (1926-2024) was born at home above Ruth’s Tea Room
When Ruth had a heart attack in 1943, Vivienne took on responsibilities in the tea room alongside her father, Boyd Vivienne also graduated from Douglas School in 1943 When Boyd passed away in 1983, Vivienne continued to run the tea room until it closed its doors in 2005
The structure at 128 E Cecil St has since been demolished, and the Ruth Jackson Memorial Park stands in its place The legacies of the Jackson family are found in the abundant testimonies of those that patroned Ruth’s Tea Room and knew the family. Ruth’s was known as a place where all were welcome, particularly in the era of segregation in the United States.
The Stewart Bell Jr. Archives will continue collecting and preserving materials and memories related to the Jackson family and Ruth’s Tea Room.
Contact
Tel:(540)662-9041,ext 17
Email:archives@handleyregionalorg Website:wwwhandleyregionalorg/archives
Above: Ruth E P (Miles) Jackson, date estimated as 1930 Below: Letter from Roy and Helen [Miles] to Ruth E P Jackson, May 16, 1932.
TheStewartBellJr Archivesisalocalhistoryandgenealogycenterjointlyoperatedbythe HandleyRegionalLibraryandtheWinchester-FrederickCountyHistoricalSociety Our holdingsincludeavarietyofmaterialsdocumentingthehistoryoftheLowerShenandoah Valleyfrom1732tothepresent,withanemphasisontheCityofWinchesterandFrederick County,Virginia
ReadingRoomHours Monday-Tuesday:10:00amto5:00pm Wednesday:10:00amto8:00pm Thursday-Saturday:10:00amto5:00pm
Pleasenotethatwecloseforlunchdailyfrom 12:30pmto1:15pm
Location LowerLevel,HandleyLibrary 100W PiccadillyStreet Winchester,Virginia22601
StewartBellJr.Archives
HandleyRegionalLibrary&Winchester-FrederickCountyHistoricalSociety
QuarteryReportofNewlyAvailableArchival&ManuscriptAccessions
JanuarytoMarch2026
RobertLewisSnyderCollection,#160.
3items
PostcardscelebratingMt.HebronCemeterywithartworkbyRickGeary.GiftofRobertLewis Snyder.
(Accessionnumber:2026.002THL)
TimYoumansCollection,#120.1folder
Researchconcerningrelocationof105-107LeeSt.inWinchester.GiftofTimYoumans.
(Accessionnumber:2026.003THL)
CharlesRhodesAndersonPapers,#1039.0.21linearfeet
Medicalephemera,newspaperclippings,andphotographsconcerningDoctorandformermayor ofWinchester,VA,CharlesRhodesAnderson.
(Accessionnumber:2026.001THL)
NewspaperandPeriodicalCollection,1item
Winchester Times,October31,1866.DedicationofStonewallCemetery.GiftofBenRitter
Estate.
(Accessionnumber:2025.014THL)
NadineV.DeHavenCollection,#150,0.42linearfeet
PhotographsofNadineV.DeHavenfamily
(Accessionnumber:2024.058THL)
FrankGrimCompositionHomework,#2209MMF.1folder
FragmentsofhomeworkbelongingtoFrankGrim.GiftofJuneandRussellShiflett. (Accessionnumber:1980.005WFCHS)
VivienneJacksonFamilyCollection,#116,3folders
LetterssenttomembersoftheJacksonfamily.Acquiredbypurchase.
(Accessionnumber:2026.004THL)
HandleyRegionalLibraryRecords,#138.2items
Woodentrayforcoinsandtrayfornotes,originaltoLibraryandusedbycirculation.Transfer fromLibraryadministration.
(Accessionnumber:2026.008THL)
ShenandoahAppleBlossomFestivalCollection,#46.1item
SouvenircanfeaturingJohnnyAppleseed,circa1980.GiftofBenjaminGorman.
(Accessionnumber:2026.008THL)
DunlapFamily,WarRationBooks,#2216MMF.4items
GiftofMichelleJackson
(Accessionnumber:2026.006THL)
Ephemera,HandleyRegionalLibraryCollection,#9.1item
ReceiptfromLloydLogan,tobacconist,January18,1861.GiftofMikeRobinson.
(Accessionnumber:2026.010THL)
