Alleghany Community Television is airing a new episode of our award-winning series, Alleghany Memories, this month, featuring an interview with Bobby Irwin, Vietnam-era Marine combat photographer and videographer. The current program (and three other, upcoming episodes) was produced in conjunction with the Walter Frank Osborne, Jr. Deatachment 1298 Marine Corps League here in Sparta.

The episode is hosted by current MCL Commandant, John Irwin. Subsequent episodes will feature interviews of J.T. Pardue, Bill Sebastian and Charles Pugh- all Alleghanians and members of the local detachment.

AHGS board member, Jeff Halsey-  “Every show we produce gets a little bit better and this one is arguably, the best, yet. Mr. Irwin’s awesome images reinforce his already interesting account of the time he spent in Vietnam.”

One of Mr. Irwin’s incredible photos from his time in Vietnam. ©2012 Bobby Irwin

And we’re not finished. The next three interviews with World War II Marine veterans have been taped and are now in production. After those air, we will present a program that features Jeanette Anders, from Ennice, NC. Mrs. Anders talks about her life, growing up on a dairy that is still run by her family.

Alleghany Memories won a Paul Green Multimedia Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians, last year, for the premier episode that featured Pauline Jolly and Mildred Torney who are both former county librarians.

Anyone interested in sponsoring, participating in or being featured in an upcoming episode should contact Reba Evans, Alleghany Memories Chairperson, for information, or click the contact link in the upper-right corner of this page.

Walter Bell. Photograph by Thelma Davis.

With the new streaming page at Alleghany Community Television, viewers can watch any ACTV program at any time. That means people out of our area (all over the world!) can access Alleghany Memories, our award-winning series of interviews that feature regular folks from right here in Alleghany.

This is a huge boost for ACTV and the Historical Society, as we have several interesting and exciting episodes that will soon be ready for air. We will soon be showing a History of Alleghany CARES (Christians Associated for Relief and Emergency Services). We’ve also been working with the Marine Corps League Walter Frank Osborne, Jr. Detachment 1298 and have shot 4 episodes with local Marines, Bobby Irwin, J.T. Pardue, Bill Sebastian and Charles Pugh. The latest interview was with Jeanette Anders from Ennice about life on her family’s dairy farm.Previous shows have featured Pauline Jolly and Mildred Torney, Pauline Meals, Thelma Davis and Walter Bell, Alleghany’s only POW in the Pacific in World War II.If you’d like to sponsor a video, or for more information, contact Committee Chairperson, Reba Evans, at 336-372-4866.

The special short videos being produced by Imaging Specialists, A Trip to the Museum, will also be available for streaming at the new webpage.

Jessie Simpson at work in her studio.

Local Potter, Jessie Simpson, owner of Pottery By Jes, is partnering with the Alleghany Historical Museum for a great, new fundraising project. The Museum is now selling vintage style 16-ouncem mugs, specially designed and handcrafted by Jessie in her studio at New Hope, North Carolina. The mugs- perfect for warm, mountain-morning, beverages- were commissioned by Alleghany Historical – Genealogical Society for the purpose of raising funds for upkeep and maintenance of the Museum.

Jessie, already an accomplished artist and photographer, studied with Rob Mangum at his studio, Mangum Pottery, in Turkey Knob before venturing out on her own, last year. Jessie is an exceptional young woman who embodies the best of Blue Ridge, having decided to build her career here in the mountains.

The new handcrafted mug by Pottery By Jes available for just $18 ($19.22 with tax) at the Sparta Store. Proceeds go to benefit the Alleghany Historical Museum.

The mugs feature a rich dark brown, chocolaty glaze over a lighter base that evokes a feeling of traditional crockery. AHGS is proud of Jessie’s final product and couldn’t be more pleased to be working with this gifted artist.

Mugs are available, now, at the Museum, across from the Alleghany Courthouse.

Ernest Joines, from the Alleghany Jubilee, was on the May 17, 1961 episode of I’ve Got a Secret. Check it out (and hear him play) below:

Ernest is a AHGS member and museum volunteer. We’re glad to be able to share this with everyone!

Check out these recordings from a few Alleghany musicians who were featured at the Alleghany Historical Museum during the exhibit, “These Hills Are Alive With Music.”

Arkansas Traveler by Paul Miles and His Red Fox Chasers

Katy Cline by Paul Miles and His Red Fox Chasers

Chased Old Satan by Ephraim Woodie & the Henpecked Husbands