If you grew up in the Town of Shenandoah around 1990 and went Trick or Treating, you more than likely
visited the John Kenneth & Mary Dobbs Tate’s house on Quincy Avenue. They enjoyed inviting Trick or Treaters into their home that was decorated with skeletons, witches and spider webs. Kids loved visiting the Tate’s house for Halloween as they knew that they would be getting some very good home baked goodies!
The Tate’s enjoyed all the visitors that they received and wanted to remember all the creative costumes that they saw so they started taking picture of them.
Located in the Shenandoah Museum, in the Town History room (Exhibit Room J) we found a green scrap book that contained 149 Halloween photographs taken by the Tate’s. This book is located in the scrapbook collection area to the left of the Photo History Book collection. The pictures don’t have dates on them but we know for sure that some were taken in the early 1990’s.
The History room also has several genealogy family history books. Some of the books in this collection are McAlister Family of Shenandoah Valley Virginia, written by Tressie Grimsley Sounder; Our Comer Ancestors 1619-2008; The Noah F. Comer Family; Family Lore McAlisters Cashes and Related Lines by Betty McAlister Johns. Other books include the Grimsley Family Along the Blue Ridge and Beyond; and Rinaca Family Ledger Book.
These items are located in the Town of Shenandoah Museum in Exhibit Room J (Town of Shenandoah Historical Photographs, Newspaper Articles, Town History Books).
Be sure to check out the Town of Shenandoah Museum and Welcome Center. There are many great artifacts located inside. The Town of Shenandoah Museum and Welcome Center is located at 507 First Street, Shenandoah, VA 22849 and is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00a.m. to 5:00P.M. and closed each day from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. Phone: 540-652-8773.
To learn more about the museum, please visit the Town of Shenandoah Website at https://www.townofshenandoah.com/community/page/town-museumwelcome-center
