The Importance of a Guest Book
by Debbie Waugh, Green Spring Historian, Sandy Llop, Historic House Assistant
Last year, longtime Green Spring visitor Danielle DeBarr presented the Historic House with a beautiful, hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind guest book that she had created during Covid lockdown.
Visitors to the house have enjoyed exploring the intricate pages, folds, flips and cards inside the book and recording their impressions of Green Spring. You may enjoy reading this small, but representative, sampling of entries:
“Green Spring is an oasis, a beautiful garden, a sanctuary for all living things. I feel my mood soar…I am thankful for a place like this.”
“Great to revisit a long-gone era. Beautiful home.”
“Thank you so much for helping us understand the history of this wonderful place.”
“We have been going to Green Spring at least once a month since early 2020. It's been so fun to watch the seasons bloom all around.…Green Spring has been kind of a sanctuary for us - a place of quiet and calm and peace. Thank you for making such a special place.”
“Green Spring Gardens is a Fairfax County treasure. Long may it bloom and thrive.”
“Green Spring has been a haven and oasis for us for years. It has soothed us through a bout of cancer and the loss of dear ones. It's been a source of wonder as we catch the annual cycle of plant and animal life. On any given day it's a place to breathe more and deeply. We thank you for all you do for the community, especially the children's programs and the donation of vegetables to food banks. With great gratitude, a long time FROG!”
Guest comment books are valuable sources of current visitor feedback for all public sites. Historians are also becoming increasingly interested in conserving them as research tools that can give insight into past visitors, their experiences, and the times in which they lived.
We will preserve our unique guestbook as our own archived testament to the healing and restorative powers of gardens and historic places in uncertain times. Please come and see it and add your own comments…while there’s still space!
