229th ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION

FEBRUARY 18-20, 2010

Berryman Green Chapter of the Virginia DAR, Dan River Chapter of the Virginia Society, SAR, Halifax County Historical Society, and Halifax County Middle School are co-hosting the 229th Anniversary Commemoration of the Crossing of the Dan (River) in Virginia during the American Revolution and invite you to attend and participate.  Free public events are planned for Thursday night, February 18th and Saturday morning, February 20th, 2010, at The Prizery, the community and arts center, located at 700 Bruce Street, South Boston, Virginia.

The “Retreat to the Dan” began in January 1781, following an American victory at the Cowpens in South Carolina and became a “Race to the Dan” across North Carolina and into Virginia.  The race was won by General Nathanael Greene with his “Crossing of the Dan” on February 14th at Irvin’s and Boyd’s ferries on the Dan River.  This tactical retreat saved the American Southern Army and was one of the turning points in the war.  The historical significance of the event places the Dan River crossing on a unique list of landmark sites of the American Revolution.

On Thursday, February 18th, at 7:00 p. m., in the Chastain Theater, the 6th grade Crossing Players and Singers from Halifax County Middle School will present the story through verse and song for the community.  The evening’s activities will include recognition of the DAR essay contest winners and will conclude with a night pilgrimage to the Boyd’s Ferry site on the Dan River.  On Friday the program will be repeated for all 6th grade students.  

On Saturday, February 20th, at 10:00 a. m., the SAR and DAR will host the annual Crossing of the Dan Commemoration program in the Chastain Theater.  It will include greetings and the presentation of wreaths by SAR, DAR, and local officials, recognition of the 6th grade essay contest winner, and a presentation by Gary Sandling, VP of Visitor Programs and Services at Monticello.  His talk, entitled “Jefferson’s Honor:  Histories of the Virginia Invasions of 1781,” will highlight Thomas Jefferson’s challenges as a wartime governor of Virginia.  

The permanent exhibit on the Crossing of the Dan will be open for visitations and walks to the actual Boyd’s Ferry crossing site will be available before and after the morning program.  

A catered BBQ luncheon in the Banquet Hall at The Prizery, following the February 20th morning program, will be available for $12.00 by paid reservations.  Following the luncheon historians Stewart Dunaway and Jeff Bright will present a program on the events that occurred between the Race to the Dan and the Battle of Guilford Court House.  Autographed copies of their book entitled Like a Bear With His Stern in a Corner will be available for sale, along with Larry Aaron’s book, The Race to the Dan.

Please complete and return the response form to participate in the Saturday wreath presentation program, and with payments for lunch reservations, to be received by February 13.  See www.prizery.com/Crossing/Celebration.htm and for questions, more information, or special needs, contact DAR Chapter Regent Anne Raab at tsraab@comcast.net or 434-470-1350; or SAR Chapter Past-President, Douglas Powell at Douglas@BanisterRiver.com or 434-476-2483.

Anne Raab, Regent, Berryman Green Chapter, VADAR
Larry Aaron, President, Dan River Chapter, VASSAR
Barbara Bass, President, Halifax County Historical Society
Sarah Graves, Educator, Halifax County Middle School

Gary Sandling

Biography and Information for Press Releases
February 20, 2010, Crossing of the Dan Commemoration Speaker

Gary Sandling is the Vice President of Visitor Programs and Services at Monticello.  For six years, he worked at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and where he worked as an interpreter, trained staff, and supervised the Capitol and Public Gaol.  He has been at Monticello for five years.  His areas of interest and research include Jefferson's terms as a wartime governor of Virginia.  His presentation, "Jefferson's Honor:  Histories of the Virginia Invasions of 1781," will highlight Jefferson's challenges as a wartime governor and the steps Jefferson took to vindicate his governorship in the nascent, competing historical narratives of the Founding era.
Sandling is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with degrees in History and Classical Studies.  He holds a degree of Master of Philosophy in History from Yale.  As an interpreter and as a public historian, he presents lectures to Monticello staff as well as talks to the public on a variety of topics, including the Jefferson's governorship and how it was remembered by historians in the early Republic.