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August 2024
Afternoon Tea & Fashion Show
Join the Mathews Historical Museum for an afternoon of tea and fashion! In conjunction with the VA250 American Revolution activities in Mathews, the Mathews Museum will host Martha Washington and Abigail Adams as they “spill the tea.” Enjoy unlimited amounts of hot tea served with cream and sweeteners, accompanied by numerous types of savories and sweets. Fashions are by “Ladies Victorian,” who will present “Our Founding Mothers and What They Wore,” period clothing that both Martha Washington and Abigail Adams…
Find out more »CANCELED: Lighthouse Keepers of Mathews County: Presentation by Benn Trask
*THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED* Benn Trask, noted historian, educator, Marine Corps veteran, librarian and museum curator, is the author of numerous books, including academic works on the Virginia Civil War regimental histories series. Most recently, he has written “Lighthouses of Hampton Roads: A History,” on the eleven light stations of Southeastern Virginia. Free and Open to the Public. Refreshments will be served.
Find out more »September 2024
Forgotten Black Patriots, Loyalists, and Women
Discover the mostly forgotten history of free and enslaved African Americans during the American Revolution. Learn about the events in 1775 that led Virginia Governor Dunmore to issue a proclamation freeing enslaved people owned by patriots in exchange for joining the British troops. Why did enslaved people risk their lives for freedom in places like Gwynn’s Island, in Mathews County? Discover the legacies of free and enslaved people who supported both the American and British causes. Join speaker Harvey Bikari,…
Find out more »October 2024
Discussion on Quilt Exhibit
JOIN WITH FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM for A DISCUSSION on the NEW QUILT EXHIBIT The public is invited to hear local historian and genealogist, Lori Jackson Black, detail her journey in discovering, researching and telling the stories about the extensive quilt collection which she and her husband, Jay, are proud and privileged to share. The discussion program is a part of the 3-month quilt show and the Museum’s newest exhibit, “Threads of Our History: Quilts of Mathews Virginia.” Lori Jackson Black…
Find out more »Tompkins Cottage Open
Open April 6th – October 26th! The cottage, which is headquarters for the Mathews County Historical Society, is named for Christopher Tompkins, a local sea captain, planter, local merchant, and member of the state legislature. He bought the cottage property in 1837 and is the first known owner. Exhibits include a room dedicated to the history of Mathews County which serves as a gift shop, two rooms representing a home from the 1840s to the 1900s, and a room dedicated…
Find out more »November 2024
Program by Colonial Williamsburg Textile Curator
Curator of Textiles and Historic at Dress Colonial Williamsburg Foundation to Speak Neal Hurst, Curator of Textiles and Historic Dress at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will be guest speaker. "I produce the highest quality 17th - 19th Century men's clothing. I provide clothing to not only re-enactors but to museums and living history sites,“ says Hurst, "and I have spent over 15 years studying and recreating 17th, 18th, and 19th century clothing for interpreters, reenactors, and museums.” Hurst received his Bachelor of Art…
Find out more »Fall General Membership Meeting
Join the Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library for a Fall General Membership Meeting. There will be a presentation by Pam Muffleman on the History of Williams Wharf. There is a hybrid option available at tinyurl.com/2s3nc6nv.
Find out more »Lighthouse Keepers of Mathews County
Mathews County Historical Society, in partnership with the Mathews Memorial Library, will host a lecture by historian Benjamin H. Trask on “Lighthouse Keepers of Mathews County” on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the library on Main Street in Mathews. Chesapeake Bay lighthouse keepers, for almost two centuries, maintained the beacons that guided vessels through the treacherous waters in and around Hampton Roads and north up the Bay. Men, women, immigrants and formerly enslaved men can be counted…
Find out more »Tompkins Cottage Museum Thanksgiving Open House
Tompkins Cottage Museum Thanksgiving Open House will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. as part of the Mathews Thanksgiving Farmers Market. Traditional fall decorations will be featured throughout. The 2024 Mathews County Historical Society ornament the Linda Carol will be featured. Other Mathews County Historical Society ornaments, Sally Tompkins dolls and publications will also be available for purchase.
Find out more »Christmas Comes to Gwynn’s Island
Join us on Gwynn’s Island to kick-off your Holiday Season! During this free event, see the educational exhibits that portray our rich history. As the oldest museum in Mathews County, we offer a unique perspective on the founding of our country. The GI Museum is truly a gem. The GI Museum will be decorated inside and out for Christmas, offering several locations for family photos. Santa will be on hand and holiday music will set the mood. There will be…
Find out more »December 2024
Tompkins Cottage Museum Christmas Open House
Tompkins Cottage Museum Christmas Open House will be held from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. as part of the Mathews Christmas Farmers Market. Traditional holiday decorations will be featured throughout. The 2024 Mathews County Historical Society ornament the Linda Carol will be featured. Other society ornaments, Sally Tompkins dolls and publications will also be available for purchase. Martha McCartney, historical researcher and author, will be on hand to autograph her comprehensive history, Mathews County, Virginia: Lost Landscapes, Untold Stories.
Find out more »Antique Southern Quilts Collection Showcase
A special quilting exhibit, “Threads of Our History: Quilts of Mathews Virginia,” will debut at the Mathews Museum, October 5 and will be on exhibit through the end of December. These quilts are from a private collection of an old Mathews family, going back over a century. Mathews is a small, rural southern county sitting on the Chesapeake Bay. The quilts reflect their utilitarian use, in a geographic area that was fairly isolated until the 1950s. The quilts honor a southern tradition of quilting when…
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