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Bari Helms

Former Local Records Archivist

Archives

A Monument of Debt

The Washington Monument is finally reopening on 12 May 2014 after undergoing restoration for damage caused by an earthquake in August 2011. I was curious what the…
Bari Helms
May 12, 2014
Archives

Bad Romance

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, I wanted to bring a bit of romance to Out of the Box, but when one spends her day working…
Bari Helms
February 12, 2014
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12 Years a Slave

The release of the film 12 Years a Slave had us talking here at Out of the Box. Discussions on slavery are a common occurrence at the Library of…
Bari Helms
December 4, 2013
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Anatomy of a Marriage

Divorces reveal much about the inner-workings of a family, usually much more than outsiders should ever discover. While processing the Arlington County chancery causes, I…
Bari Helms
September 18, 2013
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Stories of Surry Co.

The Surry County Chancery Causes, 1785-1922 (bulk 1806-1917), contain valuable biographical, genealogical, and historical information and document a broad spectrum of citizens of Surry County—rich and…
Bari Helms
September 6, 2013
Archives

Love hurts, love scars

The romantic landscape may seem ambiguous in 2013, but courtship in 19th-century Virginia was no different. Think those text messages are hard to decipher? Try…
Bari Helms
August 28, 2013
Archives

April Fools’ Day, 1863

Even during wartime, soldiers managed to have a sense of humor … April Fools' prank, 1863. Caroline County Military and Pension Records, 1864, Local Government…
Bari Helms
April 1, 2013