Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection open for research.

Use Restrictions

CDs for use by patrons will be made on demand; cassettes not to be used; .wav file use only

Preferred Citation

Loudoun County   Oral History Project, 1975-1998 (M 014), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA..

Acquisition Information

Loudoun County   Public Library, Leesburg, VA

Alternative Form Available

Sound recordings: cassette tapes; digital files: (.wav format).

Accruals

2004.0078x; 2012.0156x

Processing Information

Shannon Fuller, 10 February 2014

Historical Information

In the mid-1970s the first interviews for what became the Loudoun County   Oral History Project were conducted with the purpose of interviewing Loudoun County   locals in order to preserve the history, culture, and lifestyles of previous generations. Many oral histories were recorded between 1975 and 1978, however the project lost momentum and almost a decade elapsed before any other interviews were recorded. In the mid-1980s, the oral history project continued and recorded interviews from 1986 to 1992. A number of interviews were also recorded between 1994 and 1998. Eugene Scheel, a local historian and cartographer, conducted the majority of the interviews. Other interviewers who participated in the project include: Jane Sullivan, Vivian Chola, Barbara Dutton, and Loudoun Valley High School students. The individuals interviewed for the project included members of well-known Loudoun families such as Cockerill, Fry, Furr, Potts, Powell, and Purcell. Also interviewed were Important and notable individuals within the Loudoun County   community including B. Powell and Agnes Harrison, Anna Hedrich, Louisa Hutchison, Basham Simms, Charles Blair Tavenner, and John W. Tolbert.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of oral history recordings and written transcripts of the recordings related to Loudoun County   history and culture. These sound recordings were made on cassette tapes and include information on family histories, community histories, schooling, politics, and the socio-economic issues faced by families in Loudoun County  . Many interviews also focus on specific topics including: the civil tights movement, integration of Loudoun County   schools, and the Great Depression. The collection also includes photos of some of the interviewees. The collection is filed by format in 7 boxes. There are 3 boxes of transcripts and 4 boxes of cassettes. The date of each interview (transcript and tape) is included in the container list.

The oral history recordings are only accessible in digital format (.wav files), which can be transferred to a CD on request for in-library use. Prior arrangements are suggested to use the collection. Please contact library staff ahead of time.

NOTES: Inconsistent audio quality in cassettes. Not all oral history transcripts have cassette records.

Arrangement

Box: folder

Related Material

Black History Committee Oral History Project, 2000-2006 (M 012), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA; Student Oral History Collection, 1981 (M 008), Thomas Balch Library, Leesburg, VA.

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography

Technical Requirements

CD player and computer software: Roxio Creater and/or Windows Media Player