to introduce patrick ferris, tthe executive director of the one heritage society, to say a few words. [applause] >> thank you, amy. two about a word or these partnerships, beginning with this reminiscence -- when i was in my twenty's and felt anywhere in the world, i did. and i came to virginia. and i went everywhere that i could in virginia. and i remember being at the birthplace of booker t. - aa very small the national park service -- and i can remember over a quarter of a century ago, the story that i learned there about the people lived at that place, and about booker t. washington himself. all of emember, after these years, because it is the stories that stay with us when visit a place. story, oor the stories, of a place that draws to that location in the first place. re seated and standing today is a myriad of the stories. i am looking into the distance that silent signal -- the which is warren county bit, on ndoah, a little that side. in are standing in frederick between those counties. all of these places rendered of the civil e torn apart for years only to have to bear witne

i would now like to introduce patrick ferris, the executive director of the war and heritage societynt royal to say a few words about these partnerships. [applause] >> thank you, amy. i'll say a word about these partnerships beginning with this reminiscence. when i was in my 20's and felt like i could go anywhere in the world, i came to virginia. and i went everywhere that i could in virginia. and i remember being at the birthplace of booker t. washington, a very small unit of the national park service, and i can remember to this day over quarter a century ago, i can remember the stories i learned there about the people who lived at that place and about booker t. washington himself. i can remember after all these years because it is the stories that stay with us when we visit a place. it is often the story or the stories of a place that draw us to that location in the first place. and where we are seated in standing today is a myriad of those stories. i'm looking into the distance at that silent sentinel, the mess massanutten. we are standing in frederick in between those three count