Summary

The 2024 issue of The Tiller focuses on river history, batteau tradition, and preservation work across Virginia and beyond. Highlights include Emily Mook’s feature on the James River Batteau Festival and Lynchburg’s connection to the river, Brian Coffield’s essays on historic watercraft at Rassawek, George Ramsey Sr.’s work on the Dismal Swamp Canal, and a Roanoke River navigation program in Weldon, as well as Stephen Davis’s major article on Buchanan’s Wilson Warehouse and the 2024 rediscovery of canal-era ledgers that are now being studied and prepared for digitization.

Tags

James River Batteau Festival; Wilson Warehouse; Buchanan Virginia; Dismal Swamp Canal; Lynchburg river history; Rassawek; George Ramsey Sr.; Roanoke River navigation; James River batteaux; canal ledgers

Notable People
Ralph Smith; Will Smith; Brian Coffield; Emily Mook; Stephen G. Davis; Bill Trout; Diane Easley; George Ramsey Sr.; John S. Wilson.

Notable Places
Lynchburg; Richmond; Scottsville; Buchanan; Botetourt County; Rassawek; Weldon, North Carolina; Roanoke Rapids; Dismal Swamp Canal; James River.

Featured Topics
VCNS leadership and continuity; the James River Batteau Festival as living history in Lynchburg; Rassawek historic watercraft demonstrations; George Ramsey Sr.’s role in preserving the Dismal Swamp Canal; Roanoke River navigation and the Weldon aqueduct; the history of Wilson Warehouse in Buchanan; rediscovered 19th-century shipping ledgers and plans to digitize them; JRBF 2024 photo coverage.