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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
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…
Find out more »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 »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 »February 2025
Freedom’s Fortress Movie
"Freedom’s Fortress,” a movie which depicts the story of Fort Monroe, will be shown at the Mathews Museum's Movie Night. Empowered by a legal loophole, thousands of enslaved Africans escaped and found refuge at a Union-held fort during the Civil War. Doors open at 6:30, movie begins at 7:00. Movie runs approximately 1⁄2 hour.
Find out more »Recognizing and Sharing Family Treasures
Recognizing and Sharing Family Treasures – using them to tell family stories and to animate family history – is the topic of a presentation by Bessida Cauthorne White of Middlesex County. Ms. White is a well-known multifaceted retired attorney and genealogist, who will impart to her audience ways to enrich their lives through collective experiences. Bessida Cauthorne White is the President of the Middle Peninsula African American Genealogical and Historical Society. This presentation is sponsored by the Mathews County Historical…
Find out more »March 2025
MUSEUM TO FEATURE LOCAL BUSINESSES FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
The Mathews Museum will recognize Mathews County’s local business women as the nation celebrates Women’s History Month in March, with an informational speakers panel at the Museum, March 21 at 7 pm Janice Jones, founder/owner of Roane’s Antiques at The Cottage on Main Street, began her career in the 1980s with redoing old furniture and discarded items and bring them back to life. In mid-2020, following COVID, she redesigned her business to include estate sales and online sales and then…
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