Episode 3: The Mighty Mites

"Library history is community history." 

In this conversation with Deb Smith, we learn about her work as executive director of the Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia, take a deep dive into the library's founding, early history, and the characters that shaped what it became, and explore the important discoveries still being made in the Jones archives to this day. Find out more about the Jones Memorial Library here.

Note: Being the excellent librarian and researcher that she is, Deb reached out shortly after the interview to let me know that the architects that designed the original Jones Memorial Library on Rivermont Avenue were Frye & Chesterman. 

Cover Image: Front Cover Seth Woodroof Account Book MS 1047

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In this conversation with Beau Wright, we talk about his experience on Lynchburg City Council, how he thinks through the challenges facing Lynchburg, where he sees opportunities, why he is running again for an at-large seat, and reflections on his time in the White House.  Find out more about Beau's campaign and work on council here.

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In this episode, I sit down with Shelley Blades, the farm manager and executive director of Lynchburg Grows, to hear the story of their farm and the work that they do. Lynchburg Grows has taken an abandoned, seven-acre rose farm right in the middle of our city and transformed it into a thriving urban farm with a mission to provide access to fresh, local produce and purposeful jobs to individuals with disabilities.  In our conversation, we talk about how Shelley ended up in farming and in Lynchburg, the people who have helped her along the way, her fondness for radishes, what she's noticed from tending the same soil for several seasons, and what she loves about the work. Visit Lynchburg Grow's website to find out how to connect, volunteer, or support their work.

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

"The best stories are the truth. The best stories are accounts of what really happened. There's no better setup or crescendo than what really happened." - Walter Virgil Jr. on the power of honesty and authenticity in storytelling. 

In this conversation with Walter Virgil Jr., we talk about his childhood growing up in New Jersey, how he made it to Lynchburg, Virginia, the work that he is doing in our community, how his story has shaped his outlook and his mission, and what he is seeing in our city that makes him hopeful. Find out more about Walter's work here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In this episode, I sit down with former Lynchburg city manager Kim Payne to talk about his early childhood years growing up here, his life in local government, downtown revitalization, what makes a good city council member, and how things get done in our city. 

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

Born in 1938, Aubrey "Chub" Barbour has lived in the Tinbridge Hill neighborhood his entire life. In this conversation, Mr. Barbour shares about the rich history of his neighborhood, what it was like to grow up on Polk Street, his early love of music, his 42 years as the supervisor of the Yoder Center, and his diligent work in the Tinbridge Hill community garden providing fresh produce to his neighbors. 

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In 1948, J.P. Vaughan and the rest of the Lynchburg Mighty Mites sandlot football team headed to Philadelphia to play in the Pop Warner National Championship. Some players remembered seeing a film crew at the game, but the footage was lost to history. For the next 70 years, their memories, a few black and white photographs, and some faded news clippings would be all they had to remember that time in their lives. But what if a tape of that game still existed? What if those boys, now in their eighties, somehow had the chance to watch themselves all these years later?

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In this conversation, John Abell, Professor of Economics at Randolph College, teaches us about the history of redlining in Lynchburg. John also shares with us about his career in academia and how his Randolph students sparked his research on local food deserts.  Visit John's website to connect with him or find out more about his work.

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

In this conversation with Reid Wodicka, the Deputy City Manager for the City of Lynchburg, we discuss how a class at E.C. Glass High School sparked Reid's career in local government, what a typical day is like at City Hall, and how the City of Lynchburg is working to address affordable housing. 

In this episode, I mention a special written edition of the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast that is a deep dive into the Patterson Drug Store Sit-In of 1960, which can be found here. 

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.

Baseball has been put on hold for a little while at every level from Little League to the Majors. This episode is a love letter to baseball and a deep dive into Minor League baseball right here in Lynchburg, Virginia. Baseball fans can't help but enjoy all the fun that goes on at a Lynchburg Hillcats game, but there's something happening behind the scenes that the typical fan can't see. In my conversation with Anthony D'Elia from the Cleveland Indians, we get to hear how data and technology are impacting player development and play on the field even in the Minors. Plus, for all of us that had a childhood dream of being in the baseball world when we grew up, we get to hear what it's really like to go to the ballpark every day and pursue that dream.

If you enjoyed this episode, want to connect, or have a good story to share, reach out to me on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram @billyhansenmai. Billy Hansen is a commercial real estate broker, appraiser, writer, and teacher living in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Thank you for listening to the Lynchburg Neighborhood podcast. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please leave a review and share with friends. Visit us at the Lynchburg Neighborhood Podcast

Music by: Ryan Andersen. Song: Coming Home. Ryan Andersen is an American composer and producer currently making music in Paris, France. Visit him here.