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historic marker William Henry Ruffner Virginia attraction display education historical marker Historical Site information landmark marker Place of Interest sign Tourist Destination Travel Destination attractive destination educating historic markers historic site info signage tourist attraction VA appealing history no people text tourism travel South attract historic nobody word daytime displays historical markers landmarks markers signs appeal color image educate historical outdoor vertical day destinations historic sites tourist attractions US colour image outside day time USA day-time U.S. words color images daylight outdoors U.S.A. verticals colour images Jason O. Watson / historical-markers.org natural light outsides United States United States of America Lexington sign with text |
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WILLIAM HENRY RUFFNER
William Henry Ruffner, educational reformer, clergyman, and geologist, was born in Lexington on 11 Feb. 1824. After pursuing careers as a preacher and geological surveyor, he was appointed in 1870 as Virginia's first superintendent of public instruction by the General Assembly. During Ruffner's tenure, he developed Virginia's free public school system. Resigning from his position in 1882, Ruffner returned to geological surveying and farming before becoming president of the State Female Normal School, now Longwood College, in 1884. Ruffner retired in 1887 and died in 1908 in Asheville, North Carolina. Nearby stood his house Tribrook.
Department of Historic Resources, 2000 |