I originally created this website to share my family history and resources that would be helpful to people researching their family history in Caroline County, Virginia.
While researching my family history in Caroline County, Virginia, I noticed a dearth of information about people’s experiences in my ancestors’ communities. I decided to take an active role in preserving local history. The focus of my website shifted from my family history to local history.
In 2010, I initiated the Union High History Project to preserve the history of Union High School, Caroline County, Virginia’s only high school for blacks during the era of segregation. The output from the project was a self-published book titled Memories of Union High: An Oasis in Caroline County, Virginia, 1903-1969.
I received recognition and several awards for my efforts to preserve local history. But the most moving responses were the heartfelt thanks I received from the people in Caroline County, Virginia. They were very appreciative that I had preserved the history of an important institution in their community.
After that experience, I was on a mission to encourage ordinary people to take an active role in preserving the history of the communities with which they had an affiliation. I spoke at genealogy workshops and conferences to share my experience with the Union High History Project and the importance of preserving local history. I also created a blog, Discovering Yesterday, to provide research tips, tools and local history.
I hope this website educates and inspires you to take an active role in preserving local history.
Marion Woodfork Simmons
