Sometimes for fun I look at Harry Stilson’s journal entries to see what he was doing or taking pictures of a century ago. It’s not exactly today but on January 20, 1918, he took this picture of his son, Leon, in uniform at Hartshorn Memorial College, the site of Maggie Walker Governor School today. Harry wrote “Leon in uniform at Myrtle and Leigh” and behind Leon is a Hartshorn building. Leon died in France the following fall and my latest book, From Richmond to France, chronicles Leon’s experiences in boot camp at Camp Lee, now Fort Lee, and overseas as well as stories of other Richmonders in the Great War. 
There’s a war artifacts road show at the War Memorial this morning and I thought I’d take a few things and go. Perhaps I will meet someone there whose group wants a presentation of pictures and stories from Richmond’s WWI experience. It’s been surprisingly difficult to connect with groups who are interested in this centennial year. Considering the impact it had on our country and the world, I find it hard to understand that. When I read the letters of a young man away from home and going to fight in a war of horrific battles and then look at pictures of the young men who did that alongside Leon, it breaks my heart. I shouldn’t be alone in that, should I?
I don’t have time to pull artifacts pictures if I’m getting downtown on time but maybe later. This is the vase my great-grandmother was given by the mayor of Verdun when she went to France as a Gold Star Mother to see Leon’s grave. It was fashioned from a brass shell.
If you’re interested, here’s the link to the road show: http://vawarmemorial.org/event/artifacts-roadshow
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