President: Howard Lambert; Vice President: Gregory A. Mertz; Treasurers: Peter Mocarski and Peggy Mocarski; Secretary: Peggy Misch (newsletter editor)
Board of Directors: Jane Brookins, Don Carlson, Helen Geisler, Myra Lane, Larry Pullen, and Paul Warmack
Photo to left, The Wilderness Run Players at the Graffiti House in December, 2022
Holiday Open House at the Graffiti House, December 9, 2023
The Brandy Station Foundation invites you and your family to its Holiday Open House on December 9th at the Graffiti House, 19484 Brandy Road, Brandy Station.
The open house hours are 1-4 PM. The Open House will feature the dulcimer holiday music of the Wilderness Run Players and refreshments. This event is free with all welcome and no RSVP necessary. The Graffiti House will be open for tours beginning at noon.
President’s Corner
Dear Members and Friends of the Brandy Station Foundation,
First, on behalf of the Board of the Brandy Station Foundation, I would like to thank you for your support over the last year. I would also like to thank our guest speakers, exhibitors, re-enactors, tour guides, greeters, and visitors who came from near and far to make 2023 a very successful year.
As we look to the future, I am excited about our plans for 2024. We are busy planning a robust schedule of events and activities for the coming year. Specifically, we are planning to expand the number of weekends that the Graffiti House is open, increase the number of guest speakers, double the number of activities on the grounds of the Graffiti House, and engage our visitors in more interactive activities.
In 2002, the Brandy Station Foundation purchased the Graffiti House, the two-story structure located at 19484 Brandy Road in Brandy Station. The Civil War-era Graffiti House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The walls, primarily on the second floor, contain drawings, messages, and signatures of Civil War soldiers, both Union and Confederate, hence the name "Graffiti House." A museum is on the first floor of the building. We are proud to be a foundation that promotes the Graffiti House as a neutral witness to history.
The Graffiti House is the centerpiece of many of our activities. Over the last year, we have taken steps to address the deteriorating condition of the siding by getting proposals to repair and replace the siding and paint the exterior of the Graffiti House. In addition, we have gotten proposals to make improvements and secure the exterior wall of the foundation. We are also looking to improve the experience of our visitors while touring the exhibits on the first floor and graffiti on the second floor of the Graffiti House. We invited a curator to give us recommendations on improving the displays, signage, and layout of the first floor. Additionally, we are exploring ways to make the graffiti on the second floor more accessible to people with disabilities through the use of audiovisual technology. Finally, we are exploring options to further mitigate the risk of vandalism to the graffiti on the second floor.
We believe that the before mentioned improvements will greatly improve both the appearance and structural integrity of the 1858 Graffiti House. In addition, we believe that many of the recommended changes on the second floor with the historic Civil War graffiti and the exhibits on the first floor will greatly enhance the experience of our visitors.
We are asking you to assist us with making significant improvements to the Graffiti House. We have sought and received some funding from the Culpeper County Board of Supervisors and the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation. Our goal is to raise an additional $17,000 to fund the exterior painting of the Graffiti House. We ask that you make a special donation to the Brandy Station Foundation’s Graffiti House Exterior Painting Project. For your convenience we have enclosed a donation form. Please complete the form and return it to us with your tax-deductible donation.
We hope that you favorably respond to this special request for help. The Graffiti House is a very special historical treasure, and we take very seriously our responsibility to maintain it for future generations. I know that we can count on you at this time. In closing, on behalf of the Board, we hope that you have a wonderful holiday season and wish you the best for 2024.
You can donate to the Brandy Station Foundation in several ways!
-- donate on the Mightycause link on GivingTuesday, November 28th. The Mightcause platform provides a chance for nonprofits to raise extra funds in addition to the dollars raised in the campaign:
-- donate on the Brandy Station Foundation website:
--or, send a check made out to Brandy Station Foundation to this address:
Brandy Station Foundation
P.O. Box 165
Brandy Station, VA 22714-0165
Sincerely,
Howard Lambert
President, Brandy Station Foundation
Graffiti House Exterior Painting Project
The Foundation's exterior painting project has been estimated at $17,000. Please consider helping the Foundation with this project to maintain the Graffiti House.
As a reminder, the Brandy Station Foundation is an all-volunteer 501(c)-3 non-profit organization.
You can donate to the Brandy Station Foundation in these ways:
-- donate using credit card or PayPal on the Brandy Station Foundation
--or, use the form below and send a check made out to Brandy Station to this address:
Brandy Station Foundation
P.O. Box 165
Brandy Station, VA 22714-0165
Thank you!
Christmas Tree Challenge
(Lto R) Betty Franklin, Myra Lane, and Kim Harmon decorating the Christmas Tree Challenge tree to benefit the Brandy Station Foundation
This year the BSF is participating in a non-profit event called The Christmas Tree Challenge sponsored by Pohanka Nissan of Fredericksburg Dealership. On December 9th, there will be an auction gala night. All tickets have been sold to this event dedicated to raising funds to assist nonprofit organizations that live in the area and are legally established as 501(c)3. Free four-foot trees were distributed to participants who then decided on a theme, decorated the tree, and reached out to area merchants and individuals for commitments for donations. BSF Graffiti House volunteers Kim Harmon and Betty Franklin, along with BSF Board member Myra Lane took on this project.
They decorated the tree, selected the theme, and received donations from these generous donors:
Gingerbread cookies that decorate the Christmas Tree from Bobbie Lee’s Homemade Treats (Homemade specialty cakes, cupcakes, cookies and pies. 540-219-3322); Gift Basket of Graffiti House Gift Shop items provided by Brandy Station Foundation; Gift Card from Knakal’s Bakery Culpeper; Certificate for a 2 Night stay in an AirBnB in Reva, The Tool Shed for up to 4 guests; Fun Game Night Gift Basket provided by Fredericksburg Hauntings Walking Ghost Tours: Two puzzles, Phase 10 card game, Popcorn and Hot Cocoa; Gift Card from Renee's Crepes & Cakes Fredericksburg; Basket of Gift Cards from following Culpeper businesses: Pinto Thai Restaurant, Miss Minerva’s Tea Room & Gifts, and Frenchman’s Corner; Gift Box provided by Yoder’s Country Market: Bread & Butter Pickles, Hamburger Pickles and an assortment of candies; Private paranormal Investigation of Graffiti House with Culpeper Paranormal; Gift Basket of wines and craft beer: Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery Gift card and a glass, Mountain Run Winery wine and a glass, Death Ridge Brewery wine, Old House Vineyards wine and a glass, and Beer Hound Brewery 4 pack sample of craft beers; It’s About Thyme of Culpeper Gift Certificate dinner for 2 ;Gift Basket provided by Far Gohn Brewing Company Culpeper: Quart bottle with gift card for beer and 2 glasses; Gift Card from N Style Fashion Gallery Culpeper; Battlefield Tour of Brandy Station: Private 4 hour tour of the Brandy Station Battlefield with Greg Mertz; Assortment of teas from Pepperberries.
Hall of Honor
Cindy Keck signed the Hall of Honor wall. She is a descendent of Pvt. Elijah Nichols of the 2nd Florida and Pvt. James Jackson Gray of the 5th Florida. Her husband sports a vintage Graffiti House sweatshirt.
Spirits of the Graffiti House
“Spirits of the Graffiti House” was held at the Graffiti House on October 14th. Members of Paranormal Culpeper Paranormal (above right) displayed their paranormal investigation equipment and shared their findings from various locations. Tours of graffiti were given in the upstairs rooms of the Graffiti House and ghost stories were shared around a bonfire behind the house.
