Historical Societies Near Me in Arrington

History
Located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in the historic Shenandoah Valley, the Virginia Quilt Museum opened in 1995. In the year 2000, the museum was designated "the official quilt museum of the Commonwealth" by the Virginia General Assembly and the building was given to the museum by the City of Harrisonburg. The site is known as the Warren-Sipe House. The home was built in 1856 as a wedding gift for Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren and his bride Virginia Magruder.

During the Civil War, Warren served in the 10th Virginia Volunteer Infantry Regulars. He was killed in May of 1864 at the Battle of the Wilderness. It is said that the ghost of a Confederate soldier has been seen standing at the top of the center hall staircase in the house. Clad in full uniform, some say that the ghost silently peers down the steps and others say he slowly descends the staircase. A young Confederate soldier, Joseph Latimer, who was wounded at Gettysburg, died of his injuries in the house. Perhaps he is the ghost. A book about him is available in the Museum Shop.

In 1864, the house was sold to George E. Sipe, a prominent local attorney and member of the Virginia House of Delegates. Mr. Sipe added an attic and a first floor kitchen to the original structure. His most admired additions are the beautiful carved mahogany fireplace mantels and the inlaid wood floors located on the main level. Both architectural features inspire visitors to create quilt patterns from their designs.

The City of Harrisonburg acquired the house in 1952 and for many years it was used as the recreation center, serving 120 children per day. The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society took up residence in the building in 1978 and remained there until the 1990's.

Prior to the opening of the quilt museum, court was held at the site while the old courthouse on the square was being renovated. A holding cell was installed on the first floor during that time to hold prisoners; the "jail" is now used to house items for incoming exhibits.

Renovations to the house began in the summer of 2001. A new educational area, including a "Hands-On" children's room, has been created in the basement level of the building. This was once the location of the original kitchen and Mr. Sipe's billiards room. Termite damage to floor joists was discovered during the renovation, requiring the entire basement floor to be removed, creating a large dirt pit. The exposed dirt resulted in an archeological dig that uncovered artifacts, giving insight into the lives of former residents. Displays of these artifacts can be viewed throughout the museum. Other renovations include handicap accessible restrooms, a new quilt storage area and a research library.

The quilt museum is a nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors. It is operated by a strong and dedicated group of volunteers and is supported primarily by its admissions, memberships, donations from individuals and groups, and by grants

In 1860 Gordonsville's Exchange Hotel offered a welcome stopping place for weary passengers on the Virginia Central Railway. Waist-coated gentlemen and hoop-skirted ladies were treated to the sight of the hotel's handsome architecture of wide verandas and stately columns. Inside, guests received a warm greeting and gracious hospitality that was the hallmark of the South, but the leisurely pace of life belied a worsening political situation that would soon become the War Between the States.

The verdant farmlands of central Virginia became a vast battleground. In March of 1862, the Army of the Confederacy transformed the Exchange Hotel into the Gordonsville Receiving Hospital. The wounded and dying from nearby battlefields such as Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Trevilian Station, Mine Run, Brandy Station, and Wilderness were brought by the train loads.

Although this was primarily a Confederate facility, the hospital treated the wounded from both sides. 26 Union soldiers died here. The year of 1864 proved to be very busy with 23,000 treated and in June alone 6,000 treated. By war's end over 70,000 men had been treated at the Gordonsville Receiving Hospital and just over 700 would be buried on its surrounding grounds.

By 1865, the Exchange Hotel had been reduced to a shadow of its former self, but the hotel flourished once again as Virginia and the United States healed, until the railroads by-passed Gordonsville, returning it to the quiet rural community of today.

In 1971, concerned citizens formed Historic Gordonsville, Inc., and rescued the Exchange Hotel from near ruin, restoring it to the historic grandeur befitting its unique past.

Today, the Exchange Hotel stands silent watch over a rich past that intertwines Civil War medicine, military actions of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the mighty railroads of Virginia. Visit this unique building and experience Gordonsville's personal history through medical, military, town, and hotel exhibits.

Our Mission:
To make science and technology accessible to all people by being an outstanding regional institution that ignites and nurtures life-long learning.

We fulfill our mission by:
Providing hands-on, interactive exhibits.
Utilizing our planetarium as an educational and entertaining resource.
Offering a variety of innovative programs, both on-site and in the community.
Preserving our collections and using them to enhance learning.
Creating a welcoming atmosphere that stimulates curiosity and wonder.

Our Mission

The Virginia Museum of Transportation is driven by it mission:

-To advance all mode of transportation across the Commonwealth,
-to celebrate and preserve the hard work and ingenuity of generations past,
-and to inspire current and future generations to value this industry which is essential to Virginia's history, culture, and economic growth.

Mission of the Science Museum of Virginia

To deepen our understanding of man and his environment;

To promote a knowledge of the scientific method and thus encourage objectivity in the everyday affairs of man;

To engage in instruction and research in the sciences in order to educate citizens of all ages in the concepts and principles of science and how these concepts and principles form the foundation upon which rests our technological society and its economy;

To use, subject to the approval of the accredited educational facilities concerned, Museum personnel in educational programs;

To motivate and stimulate young people to seek careers in science;

To encourage an understanding of the history of scientific endeavor;

To provide special facilities and collections for the study of Virginia's natural resources; and,

To foster a love of nature and a concern for its preservation.

These purposes are hereby declared to be a matter of legislative determination. 

Opened to the public in 1981, Meadow Farm Museum at Crump Park presents programs, events, and exhibits on the cultures which have influenced the history of Henrico County, Virginia. Historical interpreters provide insight into the lives of the Native Americans, African Americans, and several generations of the Shepperd family who have called the lands of Meadow Farm home. On selected weekends, focused history programs are offered for various ages. Tours of the historic 1810 farmhouse are offered throughout the year. Meadow Farm also features farm animals who enhance the experience at this living historical site.

The County of Henrico and the Division of Recreation and Parks are also committed to sharing the complete history of all our historic properties. For 40 years we have presented the story of the Sheppard family at Meadow Farm from 1713 to 1980. In fall 2021, and in an effort to honor all the inhabitants of the land at Crump Park, we rededicated the modern building on the grounds the “Parsons Community Center” named for the family of enslaved workers associated with the Sheppard family from 1809 to 1939.

In three new permanent exhibits staff has researched and curated the three important stories previously told only through individual programs. The story of the Native Americans who traversed the land for centuries prior to English settlement. The story of Gabriel, whose narrative was impacted by the actions of two Sheppard family slaves and whose rebellion changed laws governing enslaved individuals throughout the state. Finally, the story of the Parsons family as their lives were intertwined with the Sheppard family for three generations.

Mission Statement:

VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts, and thus to enrich the lives of all.

Mission:

Inspiring Virginians to enrich their lives through science.

About Us:

Gone are the days when science sat idle in a textbook. Since its founding by the Virginia General Assembly in 1970, the Science Museum of Virginia has brought learning to life with hundreds of experiential exhibits, awe-inspiring artifacts, and interactive technologies.

The Science Museum of Virginia is a place that incites inquiry and cultivates curiosity. We feature permanent exhibitions on space, health, electricity, and the earth - to name a few - and we host visiting exhibitions from around the world.

The Museum is proud to house a theater company, a 30 ton moveable kugel ball, a Foucault Pendulum, and a variety of live animals  - including our own rat basketball team! Our Dome theater is the largest screen in Virginia, creating the ultimate immersive experience.

We are the premier center for hands-on science education in Virginia, and we invite you to join us for presentations, interactive educational programs, summer camps, overnight adventures, and more. 

Going green is important to us. The Museum is discovering new methods of protecting and enhancing the environment through the science of sustainability. We are continually committed to finding new ways of illustrating green science, and hope that you’ll experience our environmental exhibits during your next visit.

Mission Statement:
The Museum of the Confederacy's mission is to serve as the preeminent world center for the display, study, interpretation, commemoration, and preservation of the history and artifacts of the Confederate States of America.

About Us:
The Museum of the Confederacy's rich collection of civilian and military Civil War artifacts relating to the Confederate States of America, as well as the post-war "Lost Cause" era, is a valuable resource for the study of the role of the Confederacy in the War and in our society today.

The Museum organizes and sponsors a variety of lectures and other special events and programs, inviting the public to join us in our exploration of American society in the 1800s. Please explore what's happening at the Museum for more information on our schedule of these activities and their content.

Also, a new publication in the Journal series, exploring a particular portion of the Museum's ever-growing collection in-depth, is published annually. These publications are available for purchase through our onsite store. The Museum also produces a semi-annual newsletter with articles taking on many topics and issues surrounding the period of the Confederacy and effects on our society today. A brief selection of some of these articles is available for your perusal under Articles above. Museum members can receive these publications free Join Today!

Edgar Allan Poe created or mastered the short story, detective fiction, science fiction, lyric poetry and the horror story. His dark genius has invited children and adults to read and love literature for over 150 years.

Richmond's Poe Museum boasts the world's finest collection of Edgar Allan Poe's manuscripts, letters, first editions, memorabilia and personal belongings. The Poe Museum provides a retreat into early nineteenth century Richmond where Poe lived and worked. The museum features the life and career of Edgar Allan Poe by documenting his accomplishments with pictures, relics, and verse, and focusing on his many years in Richmond.

Opened in 1922, in The Old Stone House, the museum is only blocks away from Poe's first Richmond home and his first place of employment, the Southern Literary Messenger.

Open for 50 years, this roadside attraction features over 50 dinosaurs, inviting visitors to step into the world of the prehistoric past, turning back the pages of time to the Mesozoic era, when dinosaurs were the only creatures that roamed the earth.

Come visit Dinosaur Land with your kids, your friends or your date. Entertain yourself in our enormous gift shop, featuring gifts for the entire family and of course lots of dinosaur items!

Mission Statement: Preserving History - Presenting Art