Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives ( specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Virginia Ball Invitations, Ms2009-103, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Virginia Ball Invitations were donated to Special Collections in 2004.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Virginia Ball Invitations commenced and was completed in July 2009.

Historical Note

The Montgomery White Sulphur Springs resort–located near Blacksburg, Virginia–was incorporated in 1855 and construction began soon after. This resort, like several others in Virginia and West Virginia, was a popular getaway for visitors to benefit from the supposed healing powers of the mineral spring water. While the White Sulphur Springs resort in West Virginia had the reputation of being the best of these resorts, the Montgomery White, as well as many other similar resorts in Virginia, offered other alternatives. Beginning in 1862, the Montgomery White served as a Confederate hospital. After the war, the Montgomery White was restored and reopened, hosting such important historical events as the Southern Historical Society's first meeting, at which Jefferson Davis was in attendance. Economic hardships at the end of the 19 th century caused the closure of the Montgomery White; in 1904, all remaining buildings were razed.

Around 1810, the Yellow Sulphur Springs resort was built by Charles Taylor between Blacksburg and Christiansburg, Virginia, and by the 1850s, it was a popular resort that was constantly expanding. Like other resorts built to take advantage of the healing powers of the mineral water, this hotel had several structures, including a grand hotel, guest cottages, and a gazebo under which guests could drink the restorative waters. Today, the Yellow Sulphur Springs Resort still stands with many of the original buildings intact, making it the only surviving resort in Southwest Virginia from the ante-bellum period.

While various resorts and inns in the United States claim the name of Hancock House, the particular institution to which the ball invitation refers cannot be determined.

For more information on Montgomery White Sulphur Springs and Yellow Sulpher Springs, see: Reniers, Perceval . The Springs of Virginia; Life, Love and Death at the Waters, 1775-1900 . Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1941. Rare Book Collection: Spec Large F226 .R4 c.4 or Spec Civil War F226 .R4 c.5

Scope and Content

The ball invitations in this collection represent events at the Montgomery White Sulphur Springs resort, the Yellow Sulphur Springs resort, and the Hancock House. The invitations feature the type of ball, the date of the ball, and the names of the floor managers and/or committee of invitation. While resorts like the Montgomery White Sulphur Springs and Yellow Sulphur Springs were well-known for the healing powers that the mineral water supposedly contained, they were also popular vacation destinations.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

Related Material

See the following materials, which are also at Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives:

Montgomery White Sulphur Springs Guest Book, Ms2003-007

Yellow Sulphur Springs Hotel Account Book, Ms1940-033

Yellow Sulphur Springs Sale Broadside, Ms2009-106

A brief history of the Yellow Sulphur Springs resort is available on the archived version of the Special Collections and University Archives website.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Blacksburg (Va.)
• Local/Regional History and Appalachian South
• Montgomery County (Va.)
• Montgomery White Sulphur Springs (Va.)
• Montgomery White Sulphur Springs (Va.)
• Yellow Sulphur Springs Resort (Montgomery County, Va.)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Virginia Ball Invitations by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).