December 5, 2025

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Henry Weighs in on Proposed Memorial in BBC News Feature  

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Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Associate Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Associate Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry was featured in a BBC News article titled “What We Know About White House Plans for an ‘Arc de Trump.’” The piece discusses U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to build an arch in the nation’s capital as part of his recent architectural initiatives, intended to welcome visitors crossing the Memorial Bridge from Arlington National Cemetery. Henry comments on the potential challenges of the proposal, noting that constructing a new memorial in Washington, D.C., would be difficult because it serves as the nation’s capital. Read more. 

Henry Helps Make Fredericksburg Historic Preservation Plan More Diverse and Inclusive

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Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry is a member of a Historic Preservation Working Group in the City of Fredericksburg that has put forth a resolution to City Council to amend the historic preservation chapter in the city’s 2015 Comprehensive Plan. According to an article in The Free Lance-Star, “the amendments … outline eight overarching goals that city officials hope will shape their continuing efforts to foster diversity and inclusiveness.” Other group members include Architectural Review Board members Jonathan Gerlach and Helen P. Ross, National Park Service representative John Hennessy, Fredericksburg Main Street member Sophia Constantine, Historic Fredericksburg Foundation representative David James, as well as Jon Van Zandt from the local development community and Mitzi Brown of the city’s Economic Development Authority. Read more.

Williams, Devlin, Henry Work to Bring Freedom Rides Historic Marker to Fredericksburg

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Chris Williams, Erin Devlin and Christine Henry with Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Delegate Joshua Cole and Vice Mayor Chuck Frye. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Chris Williams, Erin Devlin and Christine Henry with Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, Delegate Joshua Cole and Vice Mayor Chuck Frye. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams, Associate Professor of History Erin Devlin and Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry have worked with City of Fredericksburg officials to erect a historic marker at the site of the old bus station on Princess Anne and Wolfe streets, where the Freedom Riders first stopped 60 years ago in their quest to desegregate interstate travel.

This story has been featured by several local, regional and national media outlets.

Fredericksburg set to place marker honoring Freedom Riders’ first stop (The Free Lance-Star)

Freedom Riders marker in Fredericksburg, Va., tells the ‘untold story’ (The Washington Post)

Historical marker to be erected in Fredericksburg on 60th anniversary of Freedom Rides (WJLA)

Trip from DC to Fredericksburg bus station was first leg of Freedom Riders journey (WTOP)

UMW, Fredericksburg place temporary marker honoring Freedom Riders (The Free Lance-Star, The Culpeper Star-Exponent)

Freedom Riders marker in Fredericksburg, Virginia, tells the ‘untold story’ (The Philadelphia Tribune)

Fredericksburg Remembers the Freedom Rides’ First Stop (WVTF)

Marker Furthers UMW Mission on Freedom Rides’ 60th Anniversary

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Today, on the 60th anniversary of the start of the Freedom Rides, a temporary historic marker was unveiled at the site of the former Fredericksburg bus station, where the Freedom Riders first stopped in 1961. The marker is the result of efforts by UMW staff, faculty and students, in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Today, on the 60th anniversary of the start of the Freedom Rides, a temporary historic marker was unveiled at the site of the former Fredericksburg bus station, where the Freedom Riders first stopped in 1961. The marker is the result of efforts by UMW staff, faculty and students, in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. Photo by Karen Pearlman.

Sixty years ago today, 13 men and women – seven Black and six white – departed Washington, D.C., on Greyhound and Trailways buses. Led by civil rights icon James L. Farmer Jr., these Freedom Riders embarked on a quest to desegregate interstate travel.

Their first stop? Fredericksburg, Virginia. The riders visited the bus station terminal and lunch counter, once located at the corner of Princess Anne and Wolfe streets, where the fire station stands today.

The bus depot was torn down years ago, but this afternoon, a historical marker was erected in its place, thanks to the tireless work of University of Mary Washington staff, faculty and students, in partnership with the City of Fredericksburg. Their efforts are part of a greater campaign to share the history of the region’s Black residents, as well as UMW’s commitment to keep alive the legacy of the Freedom Riders and Dr. Farmer. Read more.

Mary Talks: “Preservation of an American Theme Park”

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Mary Talks, Christine Henry

Join us ONLINE for the final Mary Talk of the 2020-21 academic year!

Amusement parks have held a special allure for Americans as places to gather, relax, and have fun. During the baby boom, more family-oriented theme parks were developed. But besides Disneyland, few of these fairy-tale playlands survived into the 21st Century.

Dr. Christine Henry, assistant professor of historic preservation, will share the case study of one theme park as she presents “Storybook Ending: Preservation of an American Theme Park.” Using vintage postcards, images, and newspapers, Professor Henry will discuss the evolution of American leisure, focusing on the surprising tale of a baby-boom-era park, The Enchanted Forest in Ellicott City, Maryland. It’s a story worthy of Mother Goose herself.

Wednesday, April 28
7:30-9:00 p.m. (EDT)
Online (via Zoom)

To watch the Talk online, register here. You then will receive a link to the streaming video, which can be watched live or at a later time. You also will have the opportunity to submit questions to be asked of the speaker at the end of the Talk.

We look forward to seeing you online!

Register

UMW Faculty Learning Community Publishes Online

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Eleven UMW faculty from a variety of disciplines worked together in 2020 as the Advocacy, Deliberation, and Civic Engagement Learning Community. The group was led by Leslie Martin and Anand Rao, representing the Center for Community Engagement and the Speaking Intensive Program. The goal of the group was for the participants to work together to develop course materials that incorporate advocacy and deliberation activities to support civic learning in their courses. Modeled after a similar initiative at VCU, the UMW faculty learning community met through the Spring 2020 semester to study the ways that advocacy, deliberation, and debate, could be used in class, and the faculty then developed materials, including activities, assignments, and rubrics, for use in college classes. The materials were collected and were recently published online through UMW Eagle Scholar. The publication is titled “Supporting Advocacy, Deliberation, and Civic Learning in the Classroom,” and includes contributions from the following faculty: Leslie Martin (Sociology), Anand Rao (Communication), Adrienne Brovero (Communication, UMW Debate), Gonzalo Campos-Dintrans (Spanish, FSEM), Steve Greenlaw (Economics, FSEM), Pamela Grothe (Environmental Sciences), Jason Hayob-Matzke (Philosophy), Jodie Hayob-Matzke (Environmental Sciences), Christine Henry (Historic Preservation), Joseph Romero (Classics), and Andrea Livi Smith (Historic Preservation).

Henry Discusses History of Roadside Attractions on C-SPAN Podcast

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Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Christine Henry appeared on C-SPAN’s Lectures in History podcast, discussing the history of roadside attractions and her own experience traveling to a freshwater pond in Ohio called the Blue Hole. Listen here.