Search Results

Syd, shown with his high school team, is on far right with catchers mitt. Two Middlesex natives have exhibits newly finished, built around their life stories and contributions to the world at large. Sydnor W. Thrift, Jr. (1929-2006) Born in Locust Hill, Syd’s parents owned a general store there and were active in the community. He was a member of Middlesex’s Syringa High School Class of 1945. Syd was popular with his peers and was selected as vice-president of the senior class and captain of the basketball team. He played catcher on the baseball team, which was his early love. Syd played ball for Hampton Sydney College as a pitcher and graduated in 1949. After serving in the US Army, he began his 50-year career in professional baseball. He was a player, scout, or executive with multiple Major League Baseball teams including the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, and Kansas City Royals. He served as the Pittsburgh Pirates general manager from 1985-1988 and the de facto general manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1999-2002. In 1990, he completed his autobiography with sportswriter Barry Shapiro, The Game According to Syd: The Theories and Teachings of Baseball's Leading Innovator.  Multiple mementos are on display at the museum from both his illustrious career and his early childhood here in Middlesex.   Margaret as Carmen Margaret Elinor Tynes (1919 –2024) Born in Saluda, her family was involved with the leadership at Northern Neck Industrial Academy as teachers. Margaret was an American opera singer who gained world-wide fame and recognition for her beautiful soprano voice. In 1939 she obtained a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. She then continued her studies in voice at the Juilliard School in New York City and received a master's degree in music education from Columbia University in 1944 after transferring there. Following her studies, she went on to become a leading soprano in the world performing at many of the world’s greatest houses. Margaret’s roles she was best known for included: Lady Macbeth, Aida, Norma, Tosca, Carmen, Salome, Liu in “Turandot”, Leonora in “La Forza del Destino,” Desdemona in “Otello.” She was acclaimed as a full-throated voice, earning high praise on the continent — “an exceptional voice, intense in every coloring, vibrant and dramatic.” She performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Wiener Staatsoper, Prague State Opera, Budapest Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu, and Teatro Comunale di Bologna. She also performed behind the Iron Curtain when she went to Russia with Ed Sullivan for the United States Department. Other highlights included performing “Amahl and the Night Visitors” on NBC. She sang on Broadway in “Lysistrata” with Sidney Poitier and in Finian’s “Rainbow.” Margaret portrayed Bess in “Porgy and Bess” at the New York City Opera for six years. The museum has several mementos from this period of her life on display as well as photography of several of her other roles.

The 2025 Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors and Membership of the Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society will take place on Sunday, October 26 th at 2:00 pm. We will discuss the past year in review, obtain an overview of our new accessions acquired this year, review new exhibits that were installed, and look at our budget and financial information. Upon completion, we will move to the downstairs foyer of the historic building and tour the newly completed exhibit on the American Revolution in Middlesex, “On the Road to Freedom.” Our Executive Director, Holly Horton, will guide this special tour and discuss our local soldiers and residents and the parts that they played in the unfolding conflict. As a special treat for our member attendees, we will additionally have a special viewing of the original land grant documents given to two patriots as payment for their service during the war. These documents were recently conserved through a generous grant from Preservation Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula and copies of them are included as part of the public exhibit “On the Road to Freedom.” During the calendar year 2024, the Middlesex County Museum was gifted two original land grants from the late 1700s. Both were signed by the seated governor of the Commonwealth at the time as awards to two different residents of the county of Middlesex. Both were awards for service preformed during the American Revolution. One is signed by Virginia Governor Patrick Henry to Abraham Chapline in 1785 for 330 acres for land that is now in Kentucky. The second is signed by Virginia Governor Beverley Randolph to Ralph Wormley, junr. in 1790 for 200 acres in what is still Middlesex. These documents help to illustrate the depth and relevance of our organization’s collections and the importance of our continued focus on our mission: to collect, exhibit, and discuss the history of Middlesex County and the varied roles our past residents have played in its development.

Exhibit work is always fun. Saluda, VA —As part of a coalition of more than 40 local organizations across the River Counties region, The Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society today celebrated the official launch of  Volunteer River Counties,  a free, online volunteer hub connecting residents and visitors in Lancaster, Middlesex, and Northumberland counties with opportunities to get involved and give back to the community.   “The museum is thrilled to have a new avenue for volunteers to reach out and connect with us about our ongoing opportunities that could utilize their gifts and skills. With such a wide variety of projects to help us with, the partnership will enable everyone to feel enriched and valued for our time spent together,” says museum director Holly Horton. “   The Middlesex County Museum is looking for educators, researchers, writers, exhibit helpers, artifact inventory specialists, docents, and event planners. Community members are invited to explore the September schedule and sign up for volunteer opportunities on the Volunteer River Counties hub, which is now accessible for residents and visitors to explore at  VolunteerRiverCounties.org .    Registration for the Volunteer River Counties hub is free and individuals who register for an account before September 27 will be entered in raffles to win local prizes, including tickets and other incentives.     Volunteer River Counties was initiated through planning efforts led by  Serve Virginia,  the  Virginia Service Foundation , and the  River Counties Community Foundation , with funding from the  Robert B. Lantz Foundation .   For additional information, please contact Volunteer River Counties Project Coordinator Elizabeth Richardson at  elizabeth.richardson@dss.virginia.gov .

During the calendar year 2024, the Middlesex County Museum was gifted two original land grants from the late 1700s. Both were signed by the seated governor of the Commonwealth at the time as awards to two different residents of the county of Middlesex. Both were awards for service preformed during the American Revolution. One is signed by Virginia Governor Patrick Henry to Abraham Chapline in 1785 for 330 acres for land that is now in Kentucky. The second is signed by Virginia Governor Beverley Randolph to Ralph Wormley, junr. in 1790 for 200 acres in what is still Middlesex. This donation was a valuable asset to the museum’s permanent collection, as it directly meets the mission of the organization and is an original document. MCM currently does not have any other such land grant pieces in their document collection. Within the Middlesex peninsula, the granting of land by England’s king began in 1642. The first Middlesex land grant was given to John Matrum, Gent., in payment for the transportation of 38 persons from England to the new world.  He was given 1,900 acres which he named “Matrums Mount, in Pyanketanke River, on July 20, 1642. The boundary began at Materums Creek, towards the Gleab Creek, including a small island in a great bay on the north side of the Pyanketanke River.” According to the Library of Virginia: “After examining and approving documentation of Revolutionary War military service, the governor issued a certificate on which the Land Office register subsequently issued a warrant for bounty lands. The certificates are printed forms filled in with the name of the individual, his rank, whether he served in a state or a continental line unit, and the length of such service. The original certificates are dated, signed, and filed in individual folders along with any supplemental papers presented with the claim other than those actually proving military service. The certificates were numbered 1- 9926 and cover the period July 14, 1782 - August 5, 1876.” This PNNMP grant will cover the costs of conserving the documents and will allow them to be displayed and utilized in a digital form as part of the museum’s educational outreach. They will be part of the new display area within the Historic Courthouse in Saluda whose first exhibit will highlight the life and stories of our local soldiers during the Revolutionary War. It will be opening to the public within the next month. Caption: “One of the land grants is signed by Founding Father Patrick Henry, who served as the first and sixth post-colonial governor of Virginia. This document was signed during his second term in office.”

The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society is pleased to share some wonderful announcements with the residents of the county. We have received news that we are being awarded two grants this spring. Virginia Humanities has awarded us a grant to support the research and creation of a curriculum of educational materials focused on local Middlesex County history that meets the guidelines of the Virginia State SOLs to include the personal stories of our residents and county and world historical events. This grant request is an extension and continuation of a project initiated with funding from a River Counties Community Foundation Grant awarded in June of 2024. Preservation Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula has given us a grant for the conservation of two Revolutionary Land grants written in the late 1700s. We were gifted the land grants during the calendar year of 2024 as a wonderful addition to our document collection. Both were signed by the seated governor of the Commonwealth at the time as awards to two different residents of the county of Middlesex for service performed during the American Revolution. One is signed by Virginia Governor Patrick Henry to Abraham Chapline in 1785 for 330 acres. The second is signed by Virginia Governor Beverley Randolph to Ralph Wormley, jr. in 1790 for 200 acres. This PNNMP grant will cover the costs of conserving the documents and will allow them to be displayed and utilized in a digital form as part of the museum’s educational outreach. This leads directly to our third piece of news…a new exhibit is opening soon. Within the Historic Courthouse in Saluda’s new first floor display area, a new exhibit will highlight the life and stories of our local soldiers during the Revolutionary War entitled “On the Road to Freedom.” It will be opening to the public in late spring. The museum has had a productive year with our ongoing educational partnership with the schools utilizing Middlesex history. We also hosted the opening of the exhibit, “Enterprising Spirits: African American Entrepreneurs in Middlesex County.” New accessions to our collection include historic textiles of wedding and swimming apparel, photographs of 1900s farm life, mercantile documents and a turn of the century oak baby highchair. We turn to you for further support of our mission with a donation. Please help us in telling the story of Middlesex and its deep and rich history. We appreciate your generous support.

The Middlesex County Museum & Historical Society, Inc. is both a museum and a visitor center in partnership with the Museums of Middlesex. We also support the exhibits in the historic clerk’s office and provide special educational opportunities there. Our visitors are seeking information about the social history of our peninsula, our area in general and sometimes, specifically their ancestors. This year we’ve had visitors from across the United States, Europe, Canada and South Africa. The museum supports the education of our local students through hands-on experience with local historical records and objects. Over 500 students visited our museum along with outings to our historical courthouse and clerk’s office. In 2024, our museum provided educational opportunities for our community by hosting various events. In February, board member Bessida Cauthorne White gave a lecture entitled, “Recognizing and Sharing Family Treasures.” In the same month the Rev. Dr. Robert W. Prichard hosted a zoom discussion of “The Bottles of Middlesex, ” an exploration of role of citizens of Middlesex County in the patent medicine industry of the late 19th and the early 20th century. In May, an event was held at Millmont, built in 1910, to share the joy of preserving our older structures. The museum led the effort for a Virginia historic highway marker for Antioch Baptist Church, the oldest African American Church in Middlesex County. The marker was co-sponsored with Antioch, and a marker dedication ceremony in August was attended by more than 100 persons. In October, the barn at Rosegill Plantation served as the perfect setting for our hosting Dr. Gordon Blaine Steffey, Historic Stratford Hall’s authority on Arthur Lee, the author of an Address on Slavery (1767), which may be the earliest denunciation of slavery by a Virginia planter, and one of the American diplomats who negotiated the “The Treaty of Alliance” (1778) that cemented French support for the American Revolution. At the end of his life Lee lived at Lansdowne in Saluda. At this event, the museum’s Annual Preservation Award was presented to Colonel (retired) A. B. Gravatt in honor of his wife Diane Gravatt, who was the driving force behind Lansdowne being designated as a National Historic Landmark and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.On November 17, renowned historian Ed Ayres, formerly of the Jamestown- Yorktown Foundation, presented a very enlightening program on the topic of “The Middlesex Resolves,” local resolutions adopted in July 1774 that helped ignite the spark of the American Revolution. Board member Robert (Bob) Prichard has written a teacher’s guide for “The Middlesex Resolves” and a play by that title that will be presented by our high school students in 2025 to commemorate the adoption of the Resolves. Our museum has an ongoing connection with citizens to screen and preserve objects, documents, and photographs that relate to our local history. These materials support the public’s quest for ancestral information. The records of our past define who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. Finally, the Museum & Historical Society has supported the establishment of Saluda Historic District as a way to increase public awareness of the historic value of our historical courthouse and its surroundings. Memberships, donations, sponsorships, and grants are very important aspects of our museum’s funding, and each very important to our future so that we can ensure the preservation of the history of our county.

This article is used to provide links, documents, and copies of communications sent out. Past events will be on the events page and do sometimes have video links and photos attached. Mailchimp was used from 2021 to 2024 and this page is a list of the emails sent - https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=ec0b8aac65d7295fbb5321e82&id=e7646f8afa Copies of these newsletter are availble, by request, in PDF form Direct Links Fall 2024 Newsletter June 2024 Newsletter Spring 2024 Newsletter Jan 2024 Newsletter Fall 2023 Newsletter  July / August Newsletter May / June 2023 Newsletter March / April 2023 Newsletter  February 2023 Newsletter January 2023 Newsletter December 2022 Newsletter November 2022 Newsletter October 2022 Newsletter September 2022 Newsletter August 2022 Newsletter July 2022 Newsletter June 2022 Newsletter May 2022 Newsletter April 2022 Newsletter March 2022 Newsletter February 2022 Newsletter January 2022 Newsletter December 2021 Newsletter

Mr. Krowe, “AJ” was born in Deltaville into a family going back five generations of living on the Middle Peninsula. AJ lived in New York City and Washington, DC until he entered the 10th grade at Syringa High School. Fond memories are told about his summers at his grandparents Deltaville home and his exploits along our local waterways. His deep appreciation for the local culture and protective environment, that he was fortunate enough to experience, served him well over his long and successful career with IBM and Texaco. The exploits of his and past generations are told with deep appreciation for the lessons learned. We invite you to listen to this wonderful story of growing up in Middlesex.

“Norton Warren Hurd, 104, founder of Hurd’s Hardware in Deltaville, passed away at home in Deltaville on Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. He was born on Sept. 15, 1916, in the Hurd homeplace built in Deltaville by his grandfather just after the Civil War. Norton attended school across from the home prior to graduating from Syringa High School. He learned about waiting on others by working in his father’s grocery store. Norton graduated from Lynchburg College in 1938, where he majored in History and excelled in baseball, basketball and was tennis team captain. Norton taught and coached at Amelia High School from 1938 until June 1941. Realizing that U.S. involvement in the war was inevitable, he enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He trained as a pilot, explaining, “I would rather be up there pitching than down here catching.” Lt. Hurd trained other pilots in open cockpits in the Minnesota winters prior to requesting transfer to combat. Lt. Hurd flew dive bombers and fighters from the U.S.S. Wasp, with missions in the Pacific Theatre. His exploits included providing cover for troops in the Philippines, dive bombing ships at Tokyo, shooting down a Japanese fighter, and crash landing next to the Wasp after his plane was disabled by antiaircraft fire. Lt. Hurd was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism. After the war, Norton returned to Deltaville and opened Hurd’s Home Appliances, which later became Hurd’s Hardware. He met Alvine Taylor, who lived across the street at Taylor’s, her parents’ restaurant, and declared her the most beautiful woman he ever met. He encouraged her to compete in the Miss Rappahannock contest, which she won, and she was crowned first runner-up in the Miss Virginia pageant of 1946. They married in 1947. Norton was known as being very pleasant, caring, witty, and a true friend to customers at Hurd’s. He made appliances available to people who could barely afford them, gave sporting equipment to children, welcomed newcomers and visitors, and helped grow the spirit of helping others in the community. He re-opened the store after hours for someone needing fuses or plumbing parts or had an emergency. He was a founder of the Lower Middlesex Volunteer Fire Department and the Middlesex Volunteer Rescue Squad and was a past president of both. Prior to 911, his work and home numbers were emergency numbers in the phone book. Upon receiving a fire call, he would run to the fire station to activate the siren, and was a fireman and rescue squad driver. Norton was a founder and president of the Deltaville Community Association and helped bring sidewalks and streetlights to Deltaville. He served on the County Airport Committee in the 1980s. Norton was a charter member of the Middlesex Lions Club, a past president, and remained a Lion until his passing. Norton loved Philippi Christian Church and served as a deacon, elder, Sunday school teacher, and board chairman. A lifelong Democrat who attended state conventions in the 1960s, he supported integration and desegregation, and on those principles, he campaigned for Republican Linwood Holton for governor in 1969. Norton helped local people obtain credit and grow their businesses by serving on the board of directors of the Bank of Middlesex and facilitated merging with First Virginia Bank-Middle Peninsula, serving as chairman. Norton played baseball with the Deltaville Deltas for three decades and with the Urbanna team when requested, and was a big “hit” at the Old Timers’ games when he was in his 90s. You would not know that he officially “retired” from Hurd’s in 1986, supposedly turning over the store to his son Jack, given that he worked there until he was 101! He loved serving customers, and his oft spoken phrase was, “Can I help you with something?” Norton played golf until age 99. He said that it was easier to shoot his age the closer he got to 100. Norton donated blood until he believed that he was too old for anyone to want his. His accomplishments (to date) were read into the Congressional Record in 2006. He was honored in 2007 by becoming one of only two persons who have received the Lynchburg College community service Beacon of Excellence award. Other honors include induction into the Lynchburg College Sports Hall of Fame, Urbanna Oyster Festival Grand Marshall, Deltaville Days Grand Marshall, Middlesex Lion of the Year 2012, Middlesex Rotary Pride of Middlesex 2013, River Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross community leader 2014 and Lions International Melvin Jones Fellow 2016. His 100th birthday party was celebrated at the Deltaville Maritime Museum and in Maryland by the U.S. Navy Band. A humble man who did not seek honors, Norton was most proud of his students, being able to help customers at Hurd’s, and his family. He truly lived the Lions motto, “We serve.” He was predeceased by his parents, Jesse W. Hurd and Mabel Norton Hurd. He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Alvine Taylor Hurd; children, Myra Hurd Wall, Jack Hurd (Denise), and Michael Hurd (Beth); and grandchildren, Amy Hurd (Holly White), Jon Hurd (Katy), Madeline Hurd, and Carter Hurd; and great-grandchildren, Maggie Hurd and Henry Hurd.” – Obituary published in the Southside Sentinel

Patricia Satterfield was born into a large local family that goes back many generations in Middlesex County, Virginia. Pat’s family and her extended family had a strong appreciation for church, family and education. The high standards and firm discipline that she was exposed to through her church and family encouraged Pat to pursue her many natural gifts both artistic and intellectual. Challenges were viewed as opportunities and the successful examples that other family members achieved gave her the sense that she could reach her own goals. Pat’s oral history is a wonderful story of attaining high achievement with great humility. We invite you to listen to her story. Your browser does not support the audio element.Your browser does not support the audio element.Your browser does not support the audio element.Your browser does not support the audio element. The 2014 interview is available here

This 18 minute video is a wonderful overview of General Puller’s military career. It starts with his birth home in West Point, but we know he loved living here in Saluda, VA. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZK4ktQCmO0

Recently brought to the museum is a collection of advertising brochures discussing a variety of tourist offerings in Urbanna.

According to Encyclopedia Virginia, William Churchhill (1649–1710) served as a member of the House of Burgesses (1691–1692, 1704–1705) and the governor’s Council (1705–1710). He probably immigrated to Virginia as a merchant’s agent, importing merchandise and servants and exporting tobacco . Churchhill served in local and parish offices in Middlesex County, and was elected to the House of Burgesses in 1691. London officials named Churchhill to the Council in the commission of Edward Nott as governor in 1705. He attended the body’s meetings regularly until just before his death in 1710. Churchill was baptized in the parish of North Aston, Oxfordshire, England, on December 2, 1649. He was the youngest of eleven children of John Churchill and Dorothy Churchill (whose maiden name is not recorded), but little else is known of his family, early years, or education. Autographs indicate that he spelled his surname with a double h . Churchhill immigrated to Virginia, possibly when he was a young adult and in the capacity of a factor, or agent, for an established merchant. His name appears in Virginia records for the first time on February 1, 1675, when he witnessed a document in Middlesex County. On November 1 of that year Churchhill was appointed an undersheriff of the county. He held that office again in 1677. Churchhill practiced law in the colony. He may have continued to operate as a factor for London merchants for as long as a decade after arriving in Virginia, but he also hired his own factor to assist in collecting debts that other county residents owed him. His business consisted largely of importing merchandise and servants and exporting tobacco. His success in commerce led him into public office. Churchhill became a justice of the peace on October 14, 1687, and remained a member of the Middlesex County Court until 1705. He was placed on a committee in 1691 to acquire land for a courthouse in the proposed town of Urbanna and the next year purchased a half-acre lot there. Twelve years later, having firmly established his own trade connections, he opposed developing the new town. Within a decade after his arrival in Virginia, Churchhill began acquiring land in the lower end of Middlesex County and by the end of the century numbered among those with the largest landholdings in the county. In 1704 he owned 1,950 acres in Middlesex County, and at the time of his death he owned 2,280 acres in Richmond County as well. His Middlesex County plantation was known later, and perhaps during his lifetime, as Bushy Park. The inventory of his estate, returned four years after his death, recorded sixty-one slaves. Unlike some of his contemporaries who held slaves, Churchhill had some of his slaves’ children baptized . Churchhill married at least twice. A 1683 document records his wife’s first name, Mary, but not her maiden name. Churchhill’s wife was mentioned but not named in a document relating to an event in November 1693. It is not clear whether that instance referred to Mary Churchhill or to a second wife whose existence is not otherwise known; nor is it certain that later assertions that Churchhill had two daughters during the seventeenth century are correct. On October 5, 1703, Churchhill married Elizabeth Armistead Wormeley after executing a detailed marriage contract to secure the property that she and her children had inherited from her father, John Armistead , formerly a member of the governor’s Council, and her first husband, Ralph Wormeley, of Rosegill in Middlesex County, who had also been a member of the Council and secretary of the colony when he died in 1701. Their one son and two daughters included Priscilla Churchhill, who married first the namesake son of the land baron Robert “King” Carter and then John Lewis, a member of the Council. Following his marriage, Churchhill undertook the management of Rosegill, and his influence in the county and colony increased through his alliances with these prominent Virginia families . Churchhill won election to the House of Burgesses for the sessions that met in the springs of 1691 and 1692. He took part in drafting several bills and petitions, including a petition to the Crown for chartering a college in the colony, and served on the important committee that apportioned the public levy. Churchhill was elected to the House again in the spring of 1704 to fill a vacancy for the sessions that met in the spring of that year and in the spring of the following year. On April 20, 1705, noting a recommendation from Governor Francis Nicholson , officials in London added Churchhill’s name to the list of Council members in the commission of the new governor, Edward Nott. Churchhill took his seat on August 15, 1705, when Nott was sworn in as governor. Churchhill had a good attendance record as a member of the Council. He attended his last meeting in Williamsburg on October 27, 1710, shortly before his final, fatal illness. By 1706 Churchhill was a colonel in the county militia. He became a vestryman of Christ Church Parish, in Middlesex County, on June 2, 1684, and several times was appointed warden for the chapel in the lower part of the county. When he wrote his will, Churchhill left £100 to Christ Church Parish with the stipulation that the ministers preach quarterly sermons against atheism, irreligion, swearing, cursing, fornication, adultery, and drunkenness and concluded, “This I would have done forever.” He made another bequest to support the parish and two £10 bequests for the benefit of the poor in his native North Aston Parish and in Christ Church Parish in London. Churchhill dated his will on November 8, 1710, and died about two weeks later. Churchhill Grandson Robert Carter III (1728–1804) Robert Carter, also known as Robert Carter III and Councillor Carter, was a member of Virginia’s Council of State (1758–1776) who, after a religious conversion, emancipated more than five hundred of his enslaved African Americans. Heir to a fortune in land and slaves built by his grandfather, Robert “King” Carter , Carter studied law in London before returning to Virginia in 1751. His contemporaries remarked on his lack of learning and social grace, and he twice ran unsuccessfully for the House of Burgesses , receiving only a handful of votes each time. Through the influence of his wife’s uncle, Carter was appointed to the Council. In 1763, he served on the Virginia Committee of Correspondence , and in 1766 drafted the Council’s response to the Stamp Act. In 1777, he converted to evangelical Christianity, aligning himself with the Baptists. In 1788, he converted again, this time to the teachings of the Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. On August 1, 1791, he took the legal steps to gradually manumit, or free, more than 500 of his slaves, the largest individual emancipation before 1860. After the death of his wife, Carter moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he died in 1804. https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/churchhill-william-1649-1710/ https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/carter-robert-1728-1804/ Robert Carter III of Nomini Hall, 1753 Thomas Hudson (1701–1779) Oil on canvas Gift of Louise Anderson Patten, 1972.17 Thomas Hudson (1701–1779) – Virginia Historical Society http://www.vahistorical.org/dynasties/robertcarter.htm

This is a WWI/WWII era Serving Our Country window banner that was hung in the home of a Son-in-Service. It showed the Patriotic sacrifice that the family was making to help the war effort. Recently donated into our collection by a Middlesex family whose uncle served in the war. It hung in the window of a Saluda home while the soldier was overseas.

The museum is building an exhibit around the Saluda Historic District and is asking for residents to share objects and stories related to life in this area of the county. Middlesex girls in dazzling white pose for the camera with pretty smiles. Did your family ever have dinner at the Saluda Hotel? Trade goods at the General store? Were you married at Antioch Baptist Church? What about court cases? Are there any stories related to a historic court case heard at the court house? Were your family members on juries with interesting witnesses? Did you bank at Bank of Middlesex in the historic bank before it was torn down? Any old checks from there? Savings bonds, seasonal calendars or the likes? Did you have your car serviced at the filling station? Any old pictures of the car or stories to tell of its trips? Do you still have the keys from it or hanging fuzzy dice? Photos from family picnics, croquet games or holiday meals held in the houses along Gloucester Road or General Puller Highway? Pictures of family gathered round the Christmas tree or involved in the family Easter egg hunt? Please, pursue your family photo albums and see what gems are hiding there. And share, share, share. The more people share, the more interesting the exhibit!

On Wednesday, November 9, Professor Julia King of St. Mary’s College, Maryland spoke to Mrs. Paige Moore’s fifth grade classes about on-going archaeological research in Middlesex County. Dr King On Wednesday, November 9, Professor Julia King of St. Mary’s College, Maryland spoke to Mrs. Paige Moore’s fifth grade classes about on-going archaeological research in Middlesex County. Dr. King was accompanied by Bob Prichard, who is the current Vice President of the Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society. The Museum and Historical Society helped arranged for the visit to the elementary school and had previously sponsored an on-line presentation by Dr. King about her work with the Rappahannock tribe. Dr. King has been working with a crew of professionals and volunteers who spent two weeks in late October and early November of this year investigating a site on Locust Grove Farm in Topping that showed signs of Native American habitation. She brought illustrations of early Virginia maps, and used samples of pottery shards, shells, projectile points, and a glass bead from the investigation in her presentation. She built on earlier class discussions on the first of the maps—that created by Captain John Smith based on a 1608 expedition. Dr. King was impressed by insights that the students in Mrs. Moore’s class gained from the Smith map and by thoughtful questions they asked about the archaeological research.

The long-awaited upgrade in the Middlesex County Museum’s HVAC system took place in Oct 2022. The new unit is a Carrier Infinity – 3 Ton 20 SEER residential Variable Speed Heat Pump Condensing Unit with Greenspeed Intelligence with a variable-speed fan coil. It was partnered with a Large Fan Powered Humidifier and an Infinity System Control Thermostat. The crew hard at work This was made possible by a generous grant from the River Counties Community Foundation which was awarded earlier this year. “This grant was used to support this much needed new HVAC/Dehumidifier and Upgrades for the main museum building,” says museum director Holly Horton. “The old unit was installed in 1994 and was struggling to keep up with our museum’s needs.” “Being that summers on the middle peninsula are hot and humid, keeping the museum at a constant temperature and humidity level is an ongoing issue. We have been running fans and small dehumidifier units for the past five years, but they were not meeting the long-term problem,” says Horton. “This grant was a godsend and a great help to the future of our collection.” The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society maintains over three thousand items in the collection and most are acquired through the general public. Printed materials such as books, journals, newspapers, organizational records, personal papers, family history materials, sheet music, broadsides, maps, and photographs. Personal objects such as clothing, jewelry, textiles, instruments and furniture. They require specialized care for optimal preservation, whether they are on exhibit display or in acidic-free, climate-controlled storage. Dust, light and humidity can be dangerous to culturally historical objects as they age into the future. Improper care can have negative effects on their preservation. The Smithsonian Institution states, “Long term artifact preservation and storage is…important in order to ensure that…artifacts can remain a tangible, visible part of history for years to come… to be kept for the benefit of future generations.” “This new HVAC Unit and Dehumidifier purchased with the grant from the River Counties Community Foundation will help to maintain the cultural vibrancy of what the museum hosts under our roof and allow us to have a greater impact on the community at large,” says Horton. The Middlesex County Museum and Historical Society is devoted to fostering the procurement, care, study, and display of objects that are of lasting interest and value to the history and culture of Middlesex County. In addition, the Museum strives to enhance and further the education of members of the community of their history and heritage.  Horton continues, “As a cultural institution, our museum enhances people’s lives and creates a special experience outside of the normal realm of boating, swimming, waterskiing, picnicking and fishing that a lot of county visitors encounter when visiting Middlesex.”

The Middlesex County Museum board of directors and members gathered at the historic courthouse in Saluda on Sunday, November 13 to hold their annual business meeting. The past year was discussed and budgets and investments revisited. Board member Bessida Cauthorne White presented information about the historic markers that have been approved or are in the process of being approved for sites (Antioch Baptist Church) and people (Butler Harris) with ties to the county. Member Jim Robusto talked about his volunteer work doing research gathering original documents pertaining to the historic Irene Morgan case. Museum director Holly Horton discussed the exhibits created during the past year and plans for 2023. After the meeting adjourned, the group moved to the museum for a wine and cheese social hour. Attendees got to see firsthand the Native American artifacts and fossils included in the exhibit in the museum annex over the past year. Members mingle during the wine and cheese social. Director Holly Horton shows exhibit artifact to member Helen Chandler during a discussion about museum accessions. Members Bob Montague and Tad Thompson share ideas for future speakers while enjoying the reception. Board member Bessida White gives details concerning Butler Harris historic marker application process. Members listen as Board President Marilyn South discusses financials of the museum. Members arrive at the historic courthouse for the meeting.

This is a photograph of the Flemish brick floor as discovered many years ago.   A brief YouTube video of the bricks along the river  Video Link

Established in 1883, Centenary Methodist Church was the fifth church to be planted from Mother Church Forest Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church (founded 1840) within Middlesex County. The wooden building sits across from the historic Courthouse square in Saluda with five tall windows down its two sides of the building. Topped by a wooden copula, the building is fitting for the small congregation that met inside its walls for over 120 years. Generations of members moved through the church celebrating births and baptisms as well as marriages and deaths with each other as their church family. After many struggles with congregates relocating outside the county, it closed in 2006 and its members dispersed. The site is currently home to All Saints Anglican Church. This month our museum was gifted a part of that church’s history in the form of a bible. Found and donated by one of our members, the beautiful bible is richly decorated with gold foil stamping and embossing on the leather cover. It is bound with silver locking hinges to help hold and support the over-sized book. The 4-inch-thick fragile bible is inscribed from one generation to the next: from C. E. Franklin to R. W. Franklin. Correlating dates for births and deaths indicate this family was involved in the Middlesex community at the early turn of the last century. This was also a prosperous time for Middlesex County as well as Centenary Methodist Church. The bible will be included in the new display being designed for the Saluda Historic District.