Fort Lewis DAR members and state representatives (l-r) Rickie McKenny, MaryAnn Hollandsworth, Emmalee Morris, Becky Rogers (rep), Courtney Stanley (rep) and Connie Stone.
Many believe that the Fort Lewis marker rededication ceremony, which take place on October 14, was 90 years in the making.
“Our Chapter decided that since the marker needed some work, we would get everything done over the summer and rededicate it during October for its 90-year anniversary,” Emmalee Morris said. “I am the current Chapter Regent and I researched and wrote the re-dedication service that was held at the marker.”
Prior to the rededication, the Fort Lewis Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution hosted a program on the history of the organization at the Salem Museum. “The Salem Museum’s Logan Library is a great source of local history as is the Virginia Room in the Roanoke Public Library,” Fort Lewis Chapter historian MaryAnn Hollandsworth said.
So much of being a Fort Lewis DAR member is about preserving the history of the organization. “Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States’ struggle for independence,” longtime member Rickie McKenny said. “It is a non-profit group, working to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism.”
On October 29, 1927, the Fort Lewis Chapter placed the marker to commemorate a pre-revolutionary stronghold. At that time, a gallon of gas cost 10 cents, a new car cost $475, a new house averaged $7,680 and the annual income was $1,358.
Few people were more excited about the cross rededication than Connie Stone. “The unexpected outcome of the Rededication of the Fort Lewis Marker Ceremony was the invitation of the present property owner, Dr. Eugene Bane, to accompany him to the site of the colonial Fort Lewis and the Fort Lewis Mansion, later built by Samuel White,” she said. “Dr. Bane had a plethora of stories centered around the history of Salem and the citizens who made significant contributions.”
The Fort Lewis DAR Chapter meets the second Saturday of each month between September and May. More details about DAR can be found at https://www.dar.org/.