“Old Jail” Placed on Virginia Landmarks Register
CHS,in cooperation with the Caroline County Board of Supervisors, we prepared an application to the Virginia Department of Historical Resources (DHR) requesting the “Old Jail” be placed on the Virginia Landmarks Register (VLR) and National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)
I am very pleased to report that on December 12, 2019, the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and the State Review Board finally reviewed our application and approved the “Old Jail” to be placed on the VLR. Caroline County received the official letter from DHR on December 23, 2019 confirming the “Old Jail” is now listed on the VLR. Along with this approval, DHR will recommend to the National Park Service to place the “Old Jail” on the NRHP. The review and approval by the National Park Service (NPS) may take up to forty-five days. This is great news for CHS and Caroline County. Hopefully the official approval from the NPS will be received in time to announce at our January 2020 meeting. Approval of the designation will enhance our chances of obtaining various local and state grants in the future for necessary renovations.
Old Jail built 1900.
50th Anniversary
On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, the Caroline Board of Supervisors presented the members of the Caroline Historical Society (CHS) with a “Resolution” to honor their 50th Anniversary (1968 – 1969).
Pictured above from left to right:
Joanne O’Quinn – CHS Board Member
Kathy McVay – CHS Member
R. Wayne Brooks – President, CHS
Nancy Long – Chair – Caroline Board of Supervisors
Herbert Ridgeway Collins – CHS Member – Founding Member
Will Hiley – CHS Member
Kathy Burchell – CHS Member
Bernard Collins – CHS Member – Past President
Kay Brooks – CHS Member – Treasurer
VISITORS FROM ITALY RESEARCH LOCAL WORLD WAR II HERO
THE VISIT OF CLAUDIO GHIOTTO & FAMILY
TO THE CAROLINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Claudio Ghiotto, his wife and two daughters live in a small town of Vo, Italy located in the Province of Padua about 31 miles west of Venice and approximately 12 miles from the town of Padua. Why would this family want to visit Caroline County and the Town of Bowling Green, Va.
It all started about three weeks ago when Mr. Ghiotto emailed the Town of Bowling Green asking for a local contact in order obtain information on a Caroline County native, Lt. Thomas Haigh. Lt. Haigh was a B-24 bomber pilot in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II and assigned to the 376th Bomber Group, 512th Bomber Squadron. His bomber was shot down on a mission near Mr. Ghiotto’s hometown of Vo, Italy in December 1943. Three crew members were killed by German fighter planes during the initial attack. As the plane was going down, Lt. Haigh ordered the remaining 6 crew members to bail out. Lt. Haigh died in the crash. The 6 crew members who bailed out, were captured by the Germans and placed in prison camps. Mr. Ghiotto is researching and collecting data on the mission, planes and crew members of the U.S. bombing mission. A staff member with the town contacted a local resident, Ms. Susan Sili, who in turn contacted Dale Brittle, Historian with the Caroline Historical Society. Through emails, Mr. Ghiotto explained that he was going to be visiting the United States and would like to come to Bowling Green for further research. All agreed that Friday, August 24th would be the date to meet at the Caroline Historical Society to view the extensive military collection of Lt. Thomas Haigh.
Just after noon on August 24th, the Ghiotto family was greeted by the Mayor of Bowling Green, Jason Satterwhite, Caroline Historical Society members Dale Brittle and Kathy Burchell and Bowling Green residents Jeff & Susan Sili. After introductions, Mr. Ghiotto presented Mayor Satterwhite with a letter from the mayor of his hometown, Vo, expressing gratitude to all American forces who helped liberate Italy and sadness in the loss our native son, Lt. Thomas Haigh. Mayor Satterwhite will read the letter at the next Town Council meeting.
Society members soon brought out the Haigh collection that included his medals, military photos, air log book, telegram of his death and other documents for all to view. The Ghiotto family took many photos of the Haigh Collection and were given copies of the official battle report, wartime photos and other documents. Newspaper clippings documenting Tommy’s life and fateful flight over northern Italy were also brought out and copied for them.
Kathy Burchell and Dale Brittle spoke with to the family about the items in the collection and Dale’s trip with Barbara Hylton to visit Tommy Haigh’s grave in Florence, Italy several years ago.
Mr. Ghiotto stated that it was his desire to compile Lt. Thomas Haigh’s information with that of the other six U.S. bombers and crews lost over the skies of Papua Province, Italy during that same mission and develop a book in their honor.
The Ghiotto family had a full day in Bowling Green with research, tour of the Historical Society, lunch, with a special tour of the old Courthouse. We appreciate Jeff and Susan Sili for taking time out of their busy schedules to host tours and taking the Ghiotto’s out to lunch. During lunch, the County of Caroline presented the family with gifts representing the county, including a book on the history of horse racing in Caroline and Secretariat. The Director of Economic Development came from Carmel Church with a large bag of gifts for the family which pertained to Caroline history. On the following day Jeff and Susan made arrangements, through our 1st District Congressman Rob Whitman, for the Ghiotto family to tour the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington. I am sure they had another full day and a most enjoyable visit to the United States. We hope to hear from them in the future and possibly obtain addition information on Lt. Thomas Haigh final mission and through their local records and first-hand accounts.
Special “Thanks” to Jeff & Susan Sili, Dale Brittle and Kathy Burchell for their hospitality and willingness to help the Ghiotto family while visiting Caroline County.
Compiled from notes taken by Dale Brittle August 29, 2018