Sister Communities Knot - Stafford VA
N 38° 25.356 W 077° 24.521
18S E 289729 N 4255452
A sister knot formed by shrubs commemorates the twinning of Stafford County, Virginia and Stafford Borough, England.
Waymark Code: WMBM8M
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 06/01/2011
Views: 3
Stafford County, Virginia and Stafford Borough, England began their sisterhood association in the early 1990s*. A sister community knot in the form of shrubbery at the Stafford County Administration Center signifies their bond. The bushy knot is on display in a garden plot on a slope between the
Stafford County Courthouse
and the Administration Office Building. There is a small sign that reads:
Stafford Borough
England
[Drawing of sister knot]
Stafford County
Virginia
Sister Communities
The Stafford Rotary Club started the beginnings of the association with its British counterpart in 1991 when then-Rotarian president, the late Rev. Joseph Kerr, obtained a red English telephone box to present to Stafford County as a reminder of its historic link with England. The box was missing parts and the Rotary Club contacted fellow Rotarians in Stafford, England. Thus an international sisterhood was formed over the restoration of an antique telephone box. The English Rotary Club president was even present at the dedication. Today, the red phone box stands at the Admin. Center, not far from the sister knot.
'Stafford' is formed from Old English -- straithe which means 'landing place' and ford which means 'a place between two rivers'. Stafford, England is between the Sow and Trent; Stafford, Virginia is between the Rappahannock and Potomac. Stafford County was established in Virginia in 1664 by the English Colonial government and was named after Staffordshire, established in 1206, where the Stafford borough is located.
Groups from both countries regularly visit each other.
References:
*A Free-Lance Star news article
states the association was established in 1992, and the Stafford Borough Council website
says they were twinned in 1994.