Winchester's Annual Festival
Ever since Saturday, May 3, 1924, this town shuts down on the first Saturday of May and calls it Apple Blossom.
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Click on Source of Apple Blossom parade photo .
DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) float passes by front of Kurtz building during 1925 Apple Blossom Festival parade.
Photograph contributed by Frances Unger. Published in More Images, p. 47b.
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This town wasn’t established in 1752 without a little help.
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In the same law establishing this town, an economic boost with a fair, was decreed twice a year.
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As we go through this year of 2021, having missed an Apple Blossom Festival last year because of the Coronavirus epidemic, we wonder too if the French and Indian war years forced a similar interruption.
We wonder if these annual set of 2 festivals were held in the years of 1755 thru 1758?
During those year of attacks and burnings of settlements and of constant reports of people not only fleeing to Winchester, but even fleeing back over the Blue Ridge to the Piedmont if such festivals were held?
Lt Col Adam Stephen holed up in his island Alamo of a Fort Cumberland, writes this on 4 Oct 1755 to Col George Washington:
Matters are in the most deplorable Situation at Fort Cumberland—Our Communication with the Inhabitants is Cut Off.
By the best Judges of Indian Affairs, it’s thought there are at least 150 Indians about us—
They divided into Small parties,
have Cut Off the Settlement of Patersons Creek, Potowmack, Above Cresops, and the People on Town Ck about four miles below his house,—
They go about and Commit their Outrages at all hours of the day and nothing is to be seen or heard of, but Desolation and murders heightened with all Barbarous Circumstances, and unheard of Instances of Cruelty.
They Spare the Lives of the Young Women, and Carry them away to gratify the Brutal passions of Lawless Savages.
The Smouk of the Burning Plantations darken the day, and hide the neighbouring mountains from our Sight—Frazer has lost two of his Family and moves to the Fort to do the Arms.
Two years later in 24 May 1757 Colonel George Washington while at Fort Loudoun Winchester VA, writes to Lt Gov Dinwiddie still talking about the enemy in the area:
The Bearer of this is Sergeant Feint, a young fellow who went out with the first party of Cuttawba Indians, commanded by Captain Johny
and taken
near the french fort at the time we supposed and reported him to be killed, from the information which the Indians brought in.1
He made his escape
from a small Delaware Town on a branch of Muskingum called white womans creek, in company with a Cuttawba who was taken when he was. As he is a sensible young fellow, I beg leave to refer your Honor to him for particulars, with regard to his observations on the country; strength of the Enemy; and the manner of his escape
In fact it got so bad even James Wood moved his family and the court to Stephens City, then Stephensburg.
Back to those annual Fairs in Winchester VA.
Since this law establishing the official name of Winchester VA in 1752,
two fairs shall and may be annually kept,
and held, in the said town of Winchester
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on the third Wednesday in June,
and the third Wednesday in October.
From Hening’s Statutes Volume 6, CHAP. XXVI page 269-270
III.
And whereas allowing fairs to be kept,
in the said town of Winchester,
will be of great benefit
to the inhabitants of the said parts,
and greatly increase the trade
of that town,
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Be it further enacted,
by the authority aforesaid,
That for the future,
two fairs shall and may be annually kept,
and held, in the said town of Winchester
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on the third Wednesday in June,
and the third Wednesday in October,
in every year, and to continue
for the space of two days,
for the sale and vending
all manner of cattle,
victuals, provisions, goods, wares,
and merchandizes,
whatsoever;
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on which fair days,
and two days next before,
and two days next after,
the said fairs,
all persons coming to,
being at, or going from the same,
together with their cattle,
goods, wares, and merchandizes,
shall be exempted,
and privileged,
from all arrests,
attachments, and executions,
whatsoever,
except for
capital offences,
breaches of the peace,
or for any controversies,
suits, or quarrels,
that may arise and happen during the said time,
in which case process may be immediately issued,
and proceedings thereupon had, in the same
this act had never been made,
any thing herein before contained,
or any law, custom,
or usage,
to the contrary thereof,
in any wise, notwithstanding.
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Note the “exempt from arrests” line and then the exceptions after that?
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From Hening’s Statutes Volume 6, CHAP. XXVI page 269
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