April 21, 2026 Presentation by Steve Berke on “The Reign of Harry Byrd: Virginia Politics from 1925-1965”
For forty years, from 1925 until 1965, one man, Harry Flood Byrd, controlled politics in the Commonwealth of Virginia. What kind of person was he, and how did he and his organization maintain iron control of Virginia politics for that long a period?
March 17, 2026 Presentation by John Delano on “Window glass: The Rodney Dangerfield of Archaeological Artifacts”
Window glass is a common artifact found by archaeologists in Colonial Williamsburg, VA and Plymouth-Patuxet, MA. Except for the failed attempt to make glass in Jamestown (1608-1609), glass was imported to the colonies, principally from England. The chemical recipe for making glass changed over time as glass makers learned empirically how to improve the clarity, color, and durability of window glass. Those compositional changes of colonial-age glass are being measured and used for the first time in North America to infer the ages of archaeological sites and the social status of the colonists.
February 17, 2026 Presentation by Lynn Bernard on “A Cup of Joe by Any Other Name: The History of Coffee”
A legacy Torch member, Lynn has been a member since 2008, making Torch presentations at a handful of clubs and conventions, assisting in founding several clubs and serving as a Regional Director on the International Association of Torch Clubs Board. In 1983, Lynn received the IATC’s highest honor, the Gold Award. Her presentation on coffee is one of many fun presentations she has given over the years at various clubs.
January 20, 2026 Presentation by Dan Sherman on “Hamilton: Man and Musical”
Alexander Hamilton has always been known as a central player in America’s early history, but the smash Broadway musical Hamilton has focused renewed attention on this fascinating individual. Speaker Dan Sherman’s multimedia presentation combines Hamilton’s biography with excerpts from the show to demonstrate its richness and its place among Broadway musicals.
December 16, 2025 Presentation by Camilla Buchanan & Deb Hill on “Adventures Biking Around the World”
As a retirement “gift” Debra Hill signed them both up for an Adventure Cycling Association van-supported ride across America following the 1976 TransAmerica Trail from Yorktown to Florence Oregon. This was the first of 5 epic cycling tours that covered the entire circumference of our country. Join us on December 16th to hear about what they learned about the geography, history and culture of our soon to be 250-year-old USA.
Williamsburg Torch Club