Virginia Beach History Museums

10/31/2020

Happy Halloween, museum enthusiasts! If you haven’t checked it out, yet, we teamed with Hunter House Victorian Museum on our latest podcast. Listen as Miriam and Raven Hudson, the Assistant Director at Hunter House, discuss the origins of unique Halloween practices, Victorian mourning rituals and other hidden histories! #vbhistorymuseums 🎃

LISTEN NOW: https://soundcloud.com/user-69884504/halloween-special-with-hunter-house-victorian-museum

Learn more about the Hunter House Victorian Museum at https://hunterhousemuseum.org.

10/30/2020

"I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road." 🐴 #FlashbackFriday at the Francis Land House.

10/29/2020

Attention Virginia Beach teens: Teens With a Purpose is STILL accepting registrations for ImmortALL! In this FREE program, teens will interview Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Alumni, and incorporate their stories and history into poetry! Improve your poetry skills while learning about living local history, with the chance to perform your poetry on stage next Spring. The introductory workshop is November 18, so sign up now! Download the registration packet at https://bit.ly/35JDrrp. #vbhistorymuseums

Learn more about the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School at museumsvb.org.

VBSchools Virginia Beach City Government Virginia Beach Public Library

10/28/2020

The restoration of the Lynnhaven House continues to progress:

-In September, a new geothermal heat pump was installed, along with the accompanying accessories.

-Electrical work to wire the new heating equipment, as well as work to replace the electrical receptacles/install a light fixture in the cellar, is also now complete.

-New ductwork, as well as supply and return air grilles, are currently being installed, and will be completed in the later part of October.

-The wooden joists, which support the first floor, were found to have some wood rot, and the Contractor is in the process of pricing the additional work, which is expected to be completed by the end of October.

At the Francis Land House:

-The scope of work involves interior and exterior modifications, heating and air conditioning (HVAC), fire protection, and electrical work.

-Currently, the project is still undergoing the shop drawing review, where the various materials are submitted for approval by the Contractor. The Architect and Engineers will review these submittals to ensure they meet the intent of the design, and this process should be complete by the end of October.

-The Contractor has begun installing their silt fences and excavating around the perimeter of the house to install the bentonite panels, with an anticipated completion date for this excavation at the end of October.

-The overall project is estimated to be completed in the first quarter of 2021, unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

For the full update, read our Director's letter at https://bit.ly/37JGqCK. #vbhistorymuseums

10/27/2020

NEW BLOG POST! LINK BELOW! With one week to go before the November election, let's go back in time for a history of the fight for women's suffrage. While the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, there were decades of fights before and after to secure the rights for all citizens to vote. Today's blog post discusses women's political role during the Early Republic and women's suffrage. The post also incorporates some of what you may hear on a tour of the Francis Land House about Ann Gardner Land, how she would've been responsible for her daughters' education and what that would've looked like at the time. Make sure to exercise your hard-earned right to vote! #vbhistorymuseums

#OnTheBlog: https://www.museumsvb.org/_assets/Early-Womens-Suffrage-VBHM-10272020.pdf#asset:1762

(Image: Women's Suffrage Rally at the Virginia State Capitol, 1916. The Valentine Museum Collection, X.49.37.43)

10/22/2020

Virginia Beach City Government

It’s voting season! If you haven’t already voted, check out this video, which lists all all of your options to safely cast your ballot. 🗳 #vbhistorymuseums

Virginia voters can now cast their ballots early (either by mail or in-person) for any reason. The deadline to request a mailed ballot is Oct. 23 and early in-person voting ends on Oct.31. Here's how:

10/22/2020

Halloween will be here before you know it! To celebrate, we teamed with Hunter House Victorian Museum on our latest podcast. Listen as Miriam and Raven Hudson, the Assistant Director at Hunter House, discuss the origins of unique Halloween practices, Victorian mourning rituals and other hidden histories! #vbhistorymuseums 🎃

LISTEN NOW: https://soundcloud.com/user-69884504/halloween-special-with-hunter-house-victorian-museum

Learn more about the Hunter House Victorian Museum at https://hunterhousemuseum.org.

10/21/2020

Smile for the camera 📸😁! Today, photo and video cameras are easily accessible, and in smartphones across the globe. As technology continues to evolve, more and more people are becoming their own videographers/photographers. However, in the 1960s, you needed something more substantial. Instead of modern digital photography, you had to use actual physical film in cameras such as this one, which is on display in the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum. Imagine shooting your next Tik Tok video on this! #vbhistorymuseums

10/19/2020

#OnThisDay in 1781, the world changed forever when the British army surrendered at Yorktown. The British surrender marked the end of the last major campaign of the Revolutionary War, paving the way to American independence. #vbhistorymuseums

(“Surrender of Lord Cornwallis” painting by John Trumbull, which hangs in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol)

10/17/2020

We’re in on the challenge! In the late 1800s/early 1900s, the Thoroughgood House property looked much different than today. However, in 1922, Grace Keeler oversaw one of the first restorations of the Thoroughgood House. Keeler restored it back to its colonial origins, which is how the site is presented today. #vbhistorymuseums

10/17/2020

Hey all you ghouls and goblins! We just recently finished up recording our next episode of the Beyond the Passage Podcast! Miriam and Raven Hudson, Assistant Director of the Hunter House Victorian Museum, give a quick recap of what you can expect in this fun, Halloween-themed episode! Stay tuned next week for the episode’s release. 🎃#vbhistorymuseums

10/15/2020

Looking for a tasty dessert to make over the weekend? Here's a historical one! Recipes for macaroons began to appear in cook books as early as 1725 (around the time the Lynnhaven House was built). Why not try a recipe for macaroons from the 1806 book, “A New System of Domestic Cookery”, by Mrs. Rundell? Share with us how your macaroons turn out! #vbhistorymuseums

Full Book Here: https://archive.org/details/b22024682

10/12/2020

Virginia Beach History Museums

Governor Northam declared today, October 12, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Virginia. Recently, Miriam, our Operational Assistant, recorded a video discussing the Chesapeake Indians, also known as the First People of Virginia, who lived in the Hampton Roads area from the late 1500s until the early 1600s. Our exhibit at Thoroughgood Education Center features several native artifacts. #vbhistorymuseums #IndigenousPeoplesDay

Miriam shares a brief lesson, from the Thoroughgood House Education Center, on the history of the Chesapeake Indians, also known as the First People of Virginia. The Chesapeake Indians lived in the Hampton Roads area in the late 1500s up until the early 1600s. #vbhistorymuseums #VirtualHistoryVB

10/09/2020

Even though physicians in the 18th century had no knowledge that illness was spread by bacteria, colonial doctors managed to treat patients with a good record of success. Many doctors used herbs in their treatments, like basil, catnip, dogwood, and thyme. Basil was used to calm nervous tensions. Catnip was used to ease toothaches, intestinal cramps, colic, and also worked as a mild sedative. Dogwood was widely used to reduce fever and even acted as a substitute for quinine. Thyme could be made into tea to help relieve spasms and coughing or as a powerful antiseptic. [Top Left: Basil; Top Right: Catnip Bottom Left: Dogwood; Bottom Right: Thyme- Courtesy of creativecommons.org] #vbhistorymuseums

10/08/2020

Princess Anne County Training School/ Union Kempsville High School Museum

#TBT to earlier this year, when several alumni from Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School interviewed with The Hampton Roads Show to talk about their experiences in school, and the Museum dedicated to its memory.

Teens With a Purpose is still accepting registrations for ImmortALL: A Performance Poetry Project! Virginia Beach teens will have the opportunity to (virtually at first) meet the PACTS/UKHS Alumni, incorporate their stories and history into their written and spoken word poetry, concluding with a final public performance (tentatively) scheduled for April 2021. Sign up NOW at https://bit.ly/36mYbaj #vbhistorymuseums VBSchools

PACTS/UKHS in Virginia Beach

10/05/2020

October 5 is #WorldTeachersDay! We are thankful to have such wonderful Program Educators to share our stories. We’d also like to give a special shout-out to all other educators out there for all you do, especially in these unprecedented times. #vbhistorymuseums

10/02/2020

#VirtualHistoryVB: Lynnhaven House Cemetery

Happy October you ghouls and goblins! Yesterday, we shared a blog post from Miriam going over the history of the cemetery located behind the Lynnhaven House. Miriam loves the topic so much that we went out to the cemetery for another #VirtualHistoryVB video! Learn about the history of the cemetery, its connection to the Lynnhaven House and an unexplained mystery vandalism!

If you haven't read Miriam's blog post, visit https://www.museumsvb.org/blog. #vbhistorymuseums

10/01/2020

🚨CALLING ALL VIRGINIA BEACH TEENS! Teens With a Purpose and the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Alumni and Friends Association invite YOU to improve your written and spoken word poetry skills, all while engaging with living local history! In this FREE program, teens will meet, and learn from, (virtually at first) Alumni from Virginia Beach's first high school for African Americans. Teens will then use these conversations as the basis for their writing, which will culminate in a final public performance in April 2021. The first virtual event is October 10, so sign up now! Register today by downloading the registration packet at https://bit.ly/36mYbaj and emailing the completed forms to [email protected]. #vbhistorymuseums (this event is open to Virginia Beach teens ONLY) VBSchools Virginia Beach City Government

10/01/2020

We've officially entered spooky season 🎃! To celebrate the start of October, head over to our blog to learn more about the Lynnhaven House cemetery, which contains centuries of secrets 👀 https://www.museumsvb.org/_assets/Lynnhaven-Cemetery-VBHM-09282020.pdf. #vbhistorymuseums

09/29/2020

Time to get up for the daily grind! It's National Coffee Day! Whether you prefer to drink with a cup like Mr. Land might have, or you prefer your coffee on the go in a modern mug, raise a glass and enjoy! #vbhistorymuseums #NationalCoffeeDay ☕️

09/28/2020

The property surrounding the Thoroughgood House looked a bit different in the late 1800s/early 1900s. This photograph shows an 1890 addition by the Garrison family that was abut the original structure. The addition was on the eastern side of the house between a southeast well, which still remains on the Thoroughgood property. The building sat where the Thoroughgood gardens are currently located, and stood until 1922. In 1922, Grace Keeler oversaw one of the first restorations of the Thoroughgood House and restored it back to its colonial origins. #vbhistorymuseums Visit Virginia Beach

09/25/2020

#VirtualHistoryVB: Special Guest- Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at DeWitt Cottage

Hello, Museum enthusiasts! Today we debut our first special guest feature of #VirtualHistoryVB! The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum is a tribute to Virginia Beach's long history of wildfowling, and is located at The Historic de Witt Cottage, the oldest remaining structure at the Virginia Beach oceanfront. Dewitt Cottage, built in 1895, is celebrating their 125th anniversary this year! #vbhistorymuseums

(The Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at DeWitt Cottage is not operated by the Virginia Beach History Museums. All special guest segments of #VirtualHistoryVB are solely intended to raise awareness of other history museums in Virginia Beach.)

In this special guest segment of #VirtualHistoryVB, we welcome in a Virginia Beach oceanfront treasure: the Atlantic Wildfowl Heritage Museum at DeWitt Cotta...

09/24/2020

#TBT to a reenactment at the Thoroughgood House in 2006. What’s your favorite reenactment you’ve attended (or participated in)? #vbhistorymuseums

09/22/2020

In addition to being the first day of Fall, today is National Voter Registration Day! Virginia Beach residents can register to vote at any open Virginia Beach Public Library location. #vbhistorymuseums #NationalVoterRegistrationDay

🗳Tomorrow is National Voter Registration Day! Did you know you can register to vote at any open VBPL branch?
🇺🇸VBPL staff member Cathy H. from Bayside Area Library created this awesome voting display including brochures and a poster of the proposed Constitutional amendments, voter registration applications, Virginia vote-by-mail applications, Virginia Beach early voting locations and schedules and a sample ballot. More info here:
https://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/voter-registrar/Pages/voter-registration.aspx

09/22/2020

Happy first day of Fall from the Virginia Beach History Museums! Enjoy the season, and we look forward to when we can welcome you back to our sites. In the meantime, stay tuned for upcoming podcasts, videos and stories on our social media channels, and be sure to subscribe to our e-newsletter for the latest updates at https://vbgov.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=8eca6252dc325328877a858e8&id=3482040b64. #vbhistorymuseums 🍁

09/18/2020

Our latest podcast is a double feature! 🎙 🎙

Part 1: https://bit.ly/3hGRSjC
Part 2: https://bit.ly/3c86B6c

As we go into the fall, and a vastly different educational environment, we explore local education history, from homeschooling in the 1600s all the way up through the fight for civil rights. Episode 2, Part 1 features the history of local education, as well as a special guest interview with Dr. Ray Spain, 1966 graduate of Union Kempsville High School. Dr. Spain, also the current President of the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Alumni and Friends Association, discusses the struggles he faced in school during the era of segregation, and how we can learn from those experiences. Episode 2, Part 2 features an interview with 1962 Union Kempsville High School graduate Margie Wilson Coefield, who shares what lessons young people can take from the strength it took for a whole community to fight for a good education. #vbhistorymuseums #BeyondThePassage

09/17/2020

#ThrowbackThursday to this photo of Raymond and Jane DeFrees posing outside of the Francis Land House. A large portion of the property was lost to foreclosure during the 1930s, but the DeFrees family kept the primary residence, the Francis Land House, and surrounding acreage as a dairy farm until the mid-1950s. #vbhistorymuseums

09/15/2020

Some of you may be wondering why we chose the name "Beyond the Passage" for our new podcast. After all, what is a passage? Well, think of it like a large hallway. Each of our Historic Houses (Thoroughgood House (pictured here in 2014), Lynnhaven House and Francis Land House) have passages. People who came to visit the families living in these houses would be able to wait in the passage, but wouldn't go beyond that room unless invited. Well, friends, we invite you to join us this Friday, when our next podcast posts! We will discuss the history of education and interview Alumni who graduated from Union Kempsville High School. #vbhistorymuseums #BeyondThePassage

09/11/2020

#NeverForget 🇺🇸

Today marks the 19th anniversary of 9/11. We remember those we lost and honor the heroes of that fateful day. #NeverForget 🇺🇸

09/10/2020

September is here, which means that, while it may look different in different areas of the country this year, football is back 🏈. On display in the Princess Anne County Training School/Union Kempsville High School Museum is a letterman jacket from the 1965 Union Kempsville High School team, who were the District Co-Champions and State Runners-Up. As Virginia Beach schools were not fully integrated until 1969, UKHS played other African-American schools, with their biggest rival being Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk. #vbhistorymuseum

09/04/2020

#FlashbackFriday to docents giving a cooking demonstration at the Lynnhaven House fireplace in the 1980s! Our sites have a proud tradition of using Museum docents to guide and educate guests about the history of our sites, and enhance the historical accuracy of our programs. Did you know the word docent descended from the Latin word for “to teach” or “to lecture?" #vbhistorymuseums