Beginning in 1795, the United States required individuals who wished to become United States citizens to file a declaration of intent, followed by a petition…
Occasionally, we ask guest writers to share information or stories about researching in our collections, public library programming or activities, and other topics which Library…
On Monday, 16 October 2017, the City of Roanoke will dedicate Holton Plaza, a new park named in honor of former Virginia Governor A. Linwood Holton (1970-1974). Out…
The Virginia Board of Censors (1922–1966), later the Division of Motion Picture Censorship, was tasked with identifying obscene, indecent, and immoral scenes in motion pictures.…
Latinos and Hispanics have roots in Virginia dating back five centuries. In honor of Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month in Virginia (15 September to 15…
As promised in a previous post, here’s another look at some of the plethora of letterheads and stationery found in our archives. In honor of our current…
When processing a collection of old court papers, sometimes archivists have to use their imagination to interpret what was written. The words don’t always make…
In the late 1800s, land speculators became interested in selling islands along the Atlantic Coast to be used as summer resorts. “Parramore’s Island,” a barrier…
People have always been complex, making history a complicated topic. When history is distilled down to be straightforward, the reality of human failings and flaws…