Guiding Hands, Shared Histories: Women Who Shaped Our Communities
Schedule
Sat, 16 May, 2026 at 01:30 pm
UTC-04:00Location
151 Clermont Lane, Berryville, VA, United States, Virginia 22611 | Berryville, VA
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1:30–3 p.m. • Saturday, May 16Part One of the Summer Series: The Ties That Bind – Women Who Bridged Two Worlds
Presented by the Clermont Foundation & the Josephine School Community Museum
This spring, Clermont and the Josephine School Community Museum invite you to the opening program in a shared three-part series exploring the lives of women whose leadership shaped two neighboring communities. Their stories — of perseverance, stewardship, justice, and service — illuminate the evolving roles women have played across the 19th and 20th centuries.
About the Program
The afternoon begins at 1:30 p.m. at Clermont Farm (151 Clermont Lane, Berryville). Afterward, guests will make a short 1.5‑mile drive to the Josephine School Community Museum (303 Josephine St., Berryville) to continue the program.
At Clermont, we look to the women who safeguarded this landscape through times of profound change.
Following the Civil War and her husband’s death, Ellen Jett McCormick took on the work of land stewardship and the responsibility of guiding the farm forward. A century later, her great‑granddaughter Elizabeth Rust Williams carried that legacy into the modern era. As a pioneering attorney and the first female judge in Virginia’s 26th Circuit, Ms. Williams also championed the preservation of Clermont’s 362 acres — ultimately securing one of the Commonwealth’s largest heritage gifts to ensure the farm’s permanent protection.
At the Josephine School Community Museum, the focus turns to two women whose lives anchored Josephine City.
Rosetta Clay, whose determination led to the creation of the Black history museum she long advocated for, and Geneva Jackson, beloved throughout Clarke County for her cooking, her hospitality, and her unwavering commitment to community service.
Together, these stories reveal the many ways women shaped — and continue to shape — the shared history of our county.
Tickets
$10 per adult
FREE for students (18 and under) and seniors (65+)
Tickets may be purchased at Clermont Farm or online through our ticket link.
Guests attending all three programs may purchase a series ticket for $25 (a $5 savings).
This event is presented in partnership with VA250, Virginia’s participation in the national commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Learn more at: https://va250.org
Contact Information
Clermont: (540) 955‑0102 • [email protected]
Josephine School Community Museum: (540) 955‑5512 • [email protected]
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Where is it happening?
151 Clermont Lane, Berryville, VA, United States, Virginia 22611Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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