The Patrick County Historical Society will hold its annual General Membership meeting at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 24 at its museum in Stuart. Following a brief business meeting, the featured speaker will be Meadows of Dan resident and local author, Aaron McAlexander, who has written five books on the history of the Meadows of Dan area based on his time growing up there prior to 1950.
His books have been very popular, but his best seller, titled “Shine on Mayberry Moon,” will be the topic of discussion at the meeting.
The story of moon shining on the top of the mountain and on distilling whiskey in general, both legally and illegally, is recounted in McAlexander’s most recent work. The book is filled with amusing incidents as well as some tragic stories of people who got ‘bad whiskey,’ or who got into trouble making it illegally.
McAlexander is a retired educator who taught college physics and astronomy. He has maintained a home in Meadows of Dan, though he lived and worked in Charlotte, North Carolina for many years. All members of the Historical Society are encouraged to attend. The general public also is invited to the program that will be held in the Historical Museum, located at 116 West Blue Ridge Street in uptown Stuart, in the same building which houses the Patrick County Branch Library.
This will be an opportunity to see the 100-year-old whiskey still from near Charity, Virginia, as well as our newest large exhibit, the three-seat, horse-drawn carriage that came from the Penn Family and has been completely restored.
For more information, call (276) 694-2840.
