Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact research services staff at library-special@jmu.edu before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.
The collection is available online through JMU's
Collection is arranged into the following seven series according to History Harvest participant donor name and the subject of each donor's material contribution:
Digital images within this collection were produced as part of a 2012 "History Harvest" event. Students within the spring 2012 course, "Introduction to U.S. Religious History," taught by history professor, Dr. Andrew Witmer, planned and conducted a "History Harvest" as part of their course requirements. The purpose of the event was to gather and digitize items of religious significance from across the Shenandoah Valley. Community members were invited to East Campus Library (now Rose Library) from 10am to 2pm on Saturday, April 14, 2012 to share their items. The following excerpt from Dr. Witmer's syllabus describes the event: "Within the new field of digital history, historians have pioneered an innovative approach to collecting and studying the past. This class will adapt a model recently developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and work with JMU Special Collections to organize and host our own History Harvest. This event invites community members to share their records related to the religious history of Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley for digital preservation and study by our class and future scholars. In regular consultation with the professor and Special Collections Librarian, students will use their skills and creativity to plan the History Harvest."
All original materials were retained by the donors.
[identification of item], History Harvest collection of digitized images of religious materials, 1880-2012, SC 0208, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.
Under the direction of Dr. Andrew Witmer, students in the spring 2012 course, Introduction to U.S. Religious History, in partnership with Special Collections, worked to compile a digital collection of local religious artifacts. The class hosted a "History Harvest" in which local community members brought in items of religious significance to be digitized.
Digital images in this collection were created by students who digitized materials during the April 14, 2012 History Harvest event, or digitization took place throughout 2012 for the items that were loaned to Special Collections after the History Harvest for scanning. Content in the collection includes digital images of a variety of religous artifacts, including historic pamphlets and photographs from various churches in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
Donors were interviewed on site by students for background information about their items, which is reflected in the item descriptions in the collection inventory.
The following published monographs were donated to Special Collections and have been cataloged as part of Special Collections' rare book holdings.
Donated by Elwood Yoder:
Copyright is retained by the creator(s) and their heirs for materials they have authored or otherwise produced that reside in this collection. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).
This series contains information about the Beth El Congregation. The items in this series tell the history of the Beth El Temple through photographs, manuscript, and newspapers, and were brought in from the temple archives.
contains information about Elkton Presbyterian Church.
--Photographs
Church (inside and outside)
Pastors
Advent wreath
Church Directory (Undated)
Church publications
"Celebrating 100 years of God's Love and Faithfulness: Elkton Presbyterian Church 1899-1999" (1999)
"Chrismons – An Explanation of the Symbols on the Chrismon Tree at Elkton Presbyterian Church, Elkton, Virginia" (December, 2001)
Letters
Weekly Bulletin 2012
Brochures
Scans of newspaper articles
In Search of Faithfulness by Glendon L. Blosser
People of Peace by Gloria Y. Diener
Introduction to Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC)
Letter from VMC Officer
Brochure identifying VMC current stance as a service organization
VA Mennonite Missions – 1919-1969, "Holding Forth the Word of Life"
Enlarging the Borders, 150 Years of Expansion by E. Richard Good (published 1985)
Conference minutes - Copies of the first recorded minutes from 1835, containing both the original German and a translation
Shenandoah Mennonite Historians' newsletters
Winter 2012, with lists of all Mennonite groups in VA
Spring 2012, a sample of the type of historical reporting by this group
Brochures for Breneman Turner-Mill, owned by Valley Brethren-Mennonite Heritage Center
Congregational Histories
1936-1986 Harrisonburg Mennonite Church, "Glimpses of our Past" 50th anniversary celebration, November 15 and 16, 1986
75th anniversary/75 year history of Harrisonburg Mennonite Church
Samples of brochures about VMC 2012 activities
March 2012 of "Connections", VMC Newsletter
Announcement for VMC's 2012 Annual Assembly
Photocopied documents (1901-2001) concerning White Hill Church, detailing the church's original establishment, lists previous pastors with photographs, and also lists of donors and amount donated.
Images taken of clothes: black cap, white organdy cap and apron, white cap, black bonnet, beach bonnet cap
German prayer book
Reprint of Mennonite Historical Bulletin article
Military Induction of Christian Good
Christian Good Virginia Militia Muster Roll
Photograph of White House, south of Luray, VA