Showcasing 300 Hundred Years of Treasures: The Virginia Room, Past, Present and Future

"Roanoke, VA - On Thursday, Feb. 9, Roanoke Public Libraries will present "Showcasing 300 Hundred Years of Treasures: The Virginia Room, Past, Present and Future" from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Main Library, 706 S. Jefferson St.

The Virginia Room will open wide its doors, inviting you to see maps, documents, newspapers, books, and photographs recording three centuries of Roanoke Valley and Virginia history. Learn what the Virginia Room is doing to preserve the original materials in its collections and to provide access to these materials, including plans to digitize fragile and frequently used books and photographs.

Enjoy an in-depth tour of the research area and the secure, temperature-controlled Special Collections room. Take advantage of this opportunity to see rare items from Special Collections, including a 1682 indenture from England, a 1754 land patent signed by the colonial governor, Lord Botetourt, and the Roanoke Beacon newspaper of 1823. Other items on display will be an 1886 map of Virginia "Mineral Resources and Railway Facilities," George Davis photographs and glass plate negatives, and Sanborn Insurance maps from the early 1900's.

Several thousand Virginians and researchers from 33 states and countries came to the Virginia Room last year to look at its 40,000-plus items, including books, photographs, maps, family history, and clip files. Don't miss this opportunity to find out why. "

If you guys want to feast your eyes on some history, come to this event. This is the world of research that I live in on occasion. I only get to the Virginia room to play about twice a month though. You would not believe the history that abounds in that room.