Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Virginia Distilled Returns September 14! Raise a glass with us in celebration of Virginia Spirits Month and enjoy discounted rates now through August 25 🥃

Sample spirits from up to 15 craft distillers across the Commonwealth and enjoy a commemorative tasting glass, live music, food trucks, and free museum admission. Plus check out new special features presented by , including special sessions with local spirts experts and helping us crown Virginia's 2024 Cocktail of the Year!

Tickets at VirginiaHistory.org/Distilled.

Get ready for LA in 2028 and start your Olympic training with historic guides from our archives! 🔥

If you want your job to be Pommel Horse, like Stephen Nedoroscik:
The Modern Gymnast by Charles Spencer, 1888. Part of the Warne's Useful Books series. (Call Number GV461 .S3)

If you want to foil your competitors and make history, like Lauren Scruggs:
Fencing Familiarized, or, A New Treatise on the Art of Small Sword, by J. Olivier, 1780. English text with parallel French translation. (Call Number U860 .O48 1780)

If you want to horse around with a victory selfie, like Yoshiaki Oiwa:
Riding, by Captain Robert Weir. Illustrated by G. D. Giles, Frank Dadd, and J. Stuart Allan.1895. Part of the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes Series. (Call Number SF309 .W42)

If you're ready to meet your match on and off the field, like Ilona Maher:
Program for the Virginia Rugby Football Club, 1965-1966. (Object Number 2001.638.83)

If you just want to enjoy it all, like Snoop Dogg:
The Boys' Own Book of Outdoor Sports: A Healthy Manual for Lovers of the Rod and Gun and the Gymnasium: Angling, Hunting and Trapping Devices--Baseball, Cricket, Running, Leaping, Swimming, Wrestling, etc. Late 1800s. (Call Number GV171 .U54 1800)

Or if you're really here for the muffins, like Henrik Christiansen:
Selected Recipes for Cakes, Biscuit, Muffins, &c. prepared by Ladies of Virginia. Published by Rumford Company, date unknown. (Call Number TX765.R968.S3)

Browse all of our collections and plan your visit to explore more history in the making at www.VirginiaHistory.org.

, August 13, in 1878: An exploration party led by Andrew Campbell encounters . Largely because railways make them accessible, the caverns become a booming tourist attraction within a few years. The Luray Cavern system is the largest series of caverns in the Eastern United States and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974. Today, visitors can still tour the attraction.

Shown here is a stereocard illustration of the Amphitheatre at Luray Caverns. As stated along the bottom border of the image, the Gallery is on the right and the Tombs of the Martyrs is in front. Printed along the left border is text that reads: "In magnificence this cave outrivals the famous Mammouth, and in fact excels anything of the kind known. Philadelphia Evening News." Printed along the right border: "No pen can convey the wonderful, weird, fantastic loveliness of the place. Only a thorough, personal examination can do that. Forest and Stream." (VMHC 2003.365.8)

Join , , and at the VMHC on Thursday, September 5, at 6:00 pm for a special program about Rosenwald schools, presented by . Author, photographer, and exhibition curator Andrew Feiler (.feiler.77) will share images and stories from his extraordinary journey covering the history of the Rosenwald schools program, one of the most transformative educational initiatives in American history, forged by Booker T. Washington, a Black educator, and Julius Rosenwald, a Jewish businessman and philanthropist. Event details and tickets available at www.VirginiaHistory.org/RosenwaldJourney.

We're sending a big congratulations to all of the Virginia athletes who competed at the Paris , and everyone who brought medals home 🏅 included 15 Virginia athletes, and a number of Olympians who are current, former, or incoming student-athletes at Virginia schools. A special shoutout goes to , as Cavaliers won 14 medals at the 2024 Games. Tag your favorite Virginia Olympian in the comments 👏

As the torch is passed, we'll carry these memories of cheering on our athletes until the next Olympic Summer Games—on American soil in Los Angeles—and we'll carry this excitement forward to the Paralympic Games beginning on August 28!

What's happening this week at the VMHC? Member Mondays at Virginia House returns; hosts Front Lawn Fun with Colonial-era replica games and Stories at the Museum with educator-led storytime and craft activity; and we celebrate Julia Child's birthday with a special lecture and reception taking inspiration from Julia’s 90th birthday menu: burger sliders, Caeser salad, and ice cream sundaes!⁠
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Details about all upcoming events at VirginiaHistory.org/Events.

Member Mondays returns TOMORROW (Monday, August 12), from 5:30-7:30pm! Bring your blanket and picnic and enjoy a relaxing evening in the spacious Virginia House gardens accompanied by live jazz music. ⁠
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Free and exclusively for VMHC Members, but registration is required at VirginiaHistory.org/MemberMondays
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Not a VMHC Member yet? Join today at VirginiaHistory.org/Join.

Join the VMHC for the Conrad M. Hall Symposium for Virginia History, featuring a full day of engaging panel discussions, special museum experiences, and a keynote lecture from award-winning historian Dr. Elizabeth Varon.

In addition to compelling panel discussions, guests will have access to tailored museum experiences that highlight creating in Virginia. Ending the day will be a reception for guests and speakers to connect and reflect on the day’s learning.

Tickets to the event include museum admission, the keynote lecture, all panel discussions, and an evening reception.

Get your tickets now at VirginiaHistory.org/Symposium.

Happy to all the bibliophiles out there 📚️ Let us know what you're reading &/or tag your favorite reading spot in the comments!

Here's a round-up of readers & reading spaces from our collections:

1) Postcard with hand-colored illustration of Student Bank Shop at Randolph Macon Women's College (today, .College) in Lynchburg. (VMHC 2004.220.12)

2) Charcoal drawing of Seated Woman Reading, by Adele Goodman Clark (1882-1983). Clark was an artist & arts advocate, founding member of the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, chair of the Virginia League of Women Voters, state director of the Federal Art Project, & political activist. This drawing is from a collection of paintings, prints, & other works by Clark, donated by her niece & husband. (VMHC 2013.20.87)

3) Mid 20th-Century photographic print entitled "The New Comic Book", by Paul E. Dunnington. An entry form from the Camera Club of Richmond, Inc is glued to the reverse of the print. (VMHC 2008.37.48)

4) Photographic print of Admiral Richard E. Byrd & his polar expedition. In 1926, Byrd became the 1st person to fly to the North Pole, though some scholars later questioned the validity of his claim.⁠ Byrd was born in 1888 in Wi******er. In 1929, he became the 1st man to fly over the South Pole, & at the same time, became the first man to have flown over both North & South poles. This image is from a collection of 15 expedition photographs, 1920-30. (VMHC 1993.95.13)

5) Glass plate negative of a photograph labeled "Mrs. B.B. Valentine, 1914, Negative #6655". From a collection of approx. 30,000 glass plate negatives from the W. W. Foster collection, 1900-25. (VMHC 1991.1.22496)

6) Photographic print of the library at Oak Hill, James Monroe's home in Loudon County, constructed from 1820-1823 & lived in by Monroe until 1830, both during his presidency & in retirement. Monroe wrote the Monroe Doctrine, still a cornerstone of American foreign policy today, while he was living at Oak Hill. This image is from a collection of 1920s-30s photographs by Waller Holladay. (VMHC 2011.59.94)

7) Late 19th-Century lantern slide of an unidentified reading room in Lexington, Virginia. (VMHC 2000.225.8)

, August 9, in 1865: Janie Porter Barrett, a leading Black female educator and social reformer, was born. Born in Athens, Georgia, Barrett would go on to attend the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute (today Hampton University) in Hampton, Virginia, the first of the self-help, vocational training schools for freedpeople. In 1890, she founded the Locust Street Social Settlement in Hampton, one of the first settlements for Black people in the United States. In 1915, she established and became superintendent of Virginia Industrial School for Colored Girls, a pioneering rehabilitation center for "delinquent” Black girls as an alternative to prison which focused on reward instead of punishment and emphasized the facility’s role as a home rather than a prison. The school was later named after Barrett.

Shown here is a glass plate negative of Janie Porter Barrett from the Walter Washington Foster collection, a collection of approximately 30,000 glass plate negatives, Richmond, VA, c. 1900-25. Negative #14275. (VMHC 1991.1.24287)

This summer, our oral history team recorded an interview with Dr. Vanessa Owens, an attendee of the Janie Porter Barrett School in the 1960s, who credits the school and its namesake for helping her turn her life around. This oral history is currently being processed and we are honored to have Dr. Owens's story become part of the VMHC collections. Keep an eye on our social channels for news of its future release date!

In honor of , we're sharing the story of Buzz the Cat from our archives 😸

These photographs from 1921 feature Buzz and his humans, Charlotte Meade Christian Patton and Charlotte’s father, Henry Harrison Christian. Charlotte saved these photos in her photograph album and wrote brief notes on the back of each image-- like "Daddy and Buzz Cat April 1921" and "Me & Buzz". The final image in this collage of Charlotte and her feline companion in December 1921 has a notation on the back: "the last picture taken before Buzz went away." Other images in Charlotte's album include vacations, trips, family, and friends from the 1920s-1930s. (VMHC Call Number Mss5:5 P2781:1)

Charlotte was the only child of Henry & Rebecca Christian. At the time these images were taken, Charlotte was 15 years old and the family lived in Henrico County. She married Beverley Kennon Patton in 1941 and died in 1987. Charlotte is buried in Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery.

Created in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (.US), International Cat Day is dedicated to uniting cat lovers across the globe. It is also a day of action, promoting the well-being, care, and protection of cats in general, including those without a home.

Tell us about your feline friends in the comments!

Celebrate Julia Child's Birthday on August 15 with a special book talk and reception! Acclaimed author Alex Prud’homme will discuss his newest book, "Dinner with the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House", inspired by a series of events, including Julia Child’s televised visits to state dinners in 1967 and 1976.

Stay after the talk to celebrate Julia Child on what would have been her 112th birthday! The reception will take inspiration from Julia’s special menu requested for her 90th birthday celebration—burger sliders, Caeser salad, and ice cream sundaes.

Get tickets now at https://secure.virginiahistory.org/3023/3121.

**POSTPONED: Please note that Thursday's lecture has been postponed. We hope to announce a rescheduled date soon. Existing tickets will be honored for the new date when selected.**

Lecture details at: https://secure.virginiahistory.org/2782/2785

We're hiring! The VMHC is seeking passionate, dedicated people to join us in sharing Virginia's ever-evolving story. We are currently seeking:⁠
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🏛️ Building & Grounds Associate - *Last Day to Apply!* (closes 8/6)
🤝 Guest Services Associate (closes 8/7)
📅 Events Coordinator (closes 8/23)
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⁠Learn more and apply today at VirginiaHistory.org/Jobs.

What's happening this week at the VMHC? Volunteer Docent Training begins; Join for Front Lawn Fun with Colonial-era replica games; Teacher Tuesdays; Stories at the Museum with educator-led storytime and craft activity; a lecture by historian Marcia Zug about the history of marrying in the South; and a Highlights Tour of the "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" exhibition!⁠
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Details about all upcoming events at VirginiaHistory.org/Events.

Virginia Brews is THIS SATURDAY! Celebrate Virginia Craft Beer Month with the VMHC & get your tickets before they sell out at VirginiaHistory.org/Brews 🍻⁠
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The VMHC's popular festival (formerly known as BrewHaHa) returns on Saturday, August 3, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.⁠ This year's festival will feature a selection of beverages from across the Commonwealth, live music, food trucks, and free museum admission, including access to the VMHC's newest exhibitions, "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" and "A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools That Changed America". ⁠

Breweries:








Brewing



Food Trucks: &

Band:

, August 2, in 1790: The first U.S. Census begins, fulfilling a mandate set by the U.S. Constitution.

Shown here is a published version of the 1790 census, printed in Philadelphia in 1791 entitled, "Return of the whole number of persons within the several districts of the United States : according to 'An act providing for the enumeration of the inhabitants of the United States,' passed March the first, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one" (Collection Item Rare HA201 1790). This item also bears the signature of Thomas Jefferson on the back page.

Get out your s'mores and prepare your camp songs! This month, the theme is , and we're featuring memorabilia from Camp Okahahwis (Mss3 C1508 a), an all-girls camp in Rockbridge County, VA, which operated from 1918-1966. The items pictured here are from attendees of the camp in the mid-late 1940s, who formed lasting friendships and hosted reunions after their camp days.

Established at Wilson Springs by Mr. and Mrs. Evan R. Chesterman for their daughter Elizabeth and her friends, Camp Okahahwis was one of the oldest girls' camps in the south. The camp offered horseback riding, archery, swimming, dancing, and many other sports, as well as music, drama, and art.

Summer camps have been a beloved part of American life for over 150 years. In 1900, there were less than 100 summer camps in the U.S. and less than 20 years later, there were more than 1,000 camps operating nationally. Today, thousands of youth summer programs exist, from day camps to summer-long sleepaway camps, giving children the opportunity to hone a variety of skills, from friendship bracelets and robotics to table tennis and painting.

Tell us about your favorite summer camp memories in the comments!

Join us TONIGHT for First Fridays at VMHC with fun for the whole family from 5-8 pm! Enjoy free museum admission and extended gallery hours, live music, food trucks, activities, happy hour specials, & more. No registration necessary. First Fridays is made possible with support from Virginia R. Edmunds.

⁠Learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/FirstFridays or the link in bio.⁠
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This month's features include:⁠
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🏛️ Explore the Galleries, including the "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" and "A Better Life for Their Children" exhibitions ⁠

🎶 ⁠Live Music by .WeldonHill
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🚗 Display by Richmond Region
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🎨 Family Activities with : ⁠
--Self-Guided Gallery Scavenger Hunt⁠
--Face Painting⁠

🚚 Food Trucks⁠: ,
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🥂 Museum Café Specials: $2 off local beer, cider, & wine by the glass⁠
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See you soon!

The VMHC is honored to announce The Emily Winfree Fellowship for African and African American History in Virginia. This new annual fellowship will promote the study and interpretation of Black history in Virginia and
provide access to the VMHC’s vast collections. The inaugural Winfree Fellowship will be awarded in 2025.

Named for Emily Winfree (b., ca. 1834, d. 1919), one of thousands of Black Virginians who transitioned from bo***ge to freedom during the Reconstruction era, and who kept her family united through slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow, this fellowship is made possible by Jan Meck, Ph.D., co-author with Virginia Refo of the book "The Life and
Legacy of Enslaved Virginian Emily Winfree" (The History Press).

The VMHC holds a nationally significant collection of nearly nine million items, many of which concentrate on the late 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Within these records, there is much information about the lives and contributions of African Americans to both Virginia and the United States at large.

The Winfree Fellowship carries a stipend of $8,000 for a minimum of six weeks in residence at E. Claiborne Robins, Jr. Research Library at the VMHC. It will be awarded on the basis of the applicant’s scholarly qualifications, the merit of their proposal, and the appropriateness of their topic demonstrated by citation to specific sources in the VMHC collections. The deadline for applications is Friday, September 27, 2024.

Learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/EmilyWinfreeFellowship.

What's happening this week at the VMHC? Join for an educator program about teaching the American Revolution; Front Lawn Fun with Colonial-era replica games on the museum's front lawn; Stories at the Museum with educator-led storytime and craft activity; First Fridays with extended hours and free museum admission, live music, food trucks, family-friendly activities; a Highlights Tour of the "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" exhibition; and Virginia Brews, the VMHC's popular festival (formerly BrewHaHa) in celebration of Virginia Craft Beer Month!⁠
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Details about all upcoming events at VirginiaHistory.org/Events.

, July 28, in 1903: Maggie L. Walker receives a charter for the St. Luke Penny Savings Bank, becoming the first woman in the United States to found and become president of a bank. She serves as its president until 1931.

Shown here is a color-tinted postcard of St. Luke Bank and Trust Co. published by Southern Bargain House. A description is printed on the reverse: "Beautiful and Historical Richmond, Va., Series St. Luke Bank and Trust Co. 1st & Marshall Streets Richmond, Va. Resources half million dollars. Depository for Gas and Water Accounts and Taxes of the City of Richmond." (VMHC 2004.82.5)

Have you checked out the VMHC's new book yet? 📘

"Our Commonwealth: People & Places of Virginia" provides an in-depth journey across the five geographical regions of Virginia—Central, Northern, the Shenandoah Valley, Southwest, and Tidewater—and showcases the experiences of its diverse people.

Mined from collections across the state, the objects, letters, diaries, and archival photographs from each region are arranged thematically in this beautifully illustrated narrative that provides a stirring, and often personal, story about Virginia's people and the place they call home.

Order your copy today from the VMHC Museum Store at: VirginiaHistory.org/OurCommonwealthBook. VMHC Members receive 10% off store purchases! (Become a member at VirginiaHistory.org/Join.)

And plan your visit to the "Our Commonwealth" exhibition for a multi-sensory, interactive exploration of Virginia's regions at VirginiaHistory.org/OurCommonwealth. Open daily from 10-5.

Celebrate Virginia Craft Beer Month with the VMHC at Virginia Brews! Get your tickets before they sell out at VirginiaHistory.org/Brews 🍻⁠
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The VMHC's popular festival (formerly known as BrewHaHa) returns on Saturday, August 3, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.⁠ This year's festival will feature a selection of beverages from across the Commonwealth, live music, food trucks, and free museum admission, including access to the VMHC's newest exhibitions, "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" and "A Better Life for Their Children: Julius Rosenwald, Booker T. Washington, and the 4,978 Schools That Changed America". ⁠

Breweries:


Brainstorm Brewing





Brewing



Food Trucks: &

Band:

, July 25, in 1609: The Sea Venture, captained by Sir George Somers, is shipwrecked near Bermuda. The vessel was part of a fleet of nine ships traveling to Jamestown. The lost crew survived on Bermuda for nine months and built two new ships to continue their voyage.

Shown here is an oil portrait inscribed on the back with: "Admiral Sir George Somers, 1554-1610, after a portrait by Paul Van Somer. Painted by C. X. Harris 1930." The original portrait, formerly the property of Winifred Bellamy of Plymouth, England, came to this country in 1929 for the exhibition of Virginia historical portraiture organized by Alexander Wilbourne Weddell under the auspices of the Virginia Historical Society. While the portrait was in Virginia, Mrs. Weddell commissioned the present copy for the Society's collection. (VMHC 1930.8)

We're hiring! The VMHC is seeking passionate, dedicated people to join us in sharing Virginia's ever-evolving story. We are currently seeking:

🏛️Building and Grounds Associate (closes 8/6)
🎉Event Coordinator (closes 8/23)

Learn more and apply today at https://virginiahistory.org/jobs

What's happening this week at the VMHC? Join JMC Educators for a teacher institute about Civics and the Judiciary; for Front Lawn Fun with Colonial-era replica games; Teacher Tuesdays; a special program about the Institutional Dining Revolution with Chef Dan Giusti; Stories at the Museum with educator-led storytime and craft activity; a lecture by Dr. Scott Moore about Grace Sherwood, "the Witch of Pungo"; and a Highlights Tour of the "Julia Child: A Recipe for Life" exhibition!⁠
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Details about all upcoming events at VirginiaHistory.org/Events.