For nearly ten years, I was on a search to find the original foundation stone of my 7th great grandfather, Stephen Arnold, who founded Arnold’s Valley in Virginia, a couple miles from Natural Bridge.
I talked to everyone, wrote an article in the newspaper, met with the good ole’ boys who drink coffee at the convenience store, and hiked all over the woods. I wouldn’t have bothered trying to find something built in 1742 except that I found several years ago in the Washington & Lee library’s special collections, a picture of the Arnold foundation stone and the nearby “Arnold Spring.” So, somebody, 50 or 60 years ago, or however long ago the pics were taken, knew where this landmark was. The pictures don’t help with location. They are close-ups. But does anybody know? That’s what I hoped to find out in this video.