Virginia Historical Society Blog

1. Exploring Conflict and Compromise in History: A Recap of Virginia History Day 2018

   Next week, 59 Virginia students are headed to the National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland, College Park where they will compete against other middle and high school students from around the world. In response to this year’s theme, “Conflict and Compromise in History,” students as individuals or groups created research projects in […]

2. When the hero of Hacksaw Ridge had lunch at the VHS

   Months ago when I read that a new movie produced by Mel Gibson was based on the story of Virginian Desmond Doss, a flood of sweet memories of visiting with Desmond and his (second) wife, Frances, came to mind. It was 1994 and the VHS had recently completed its first capital campaign. I was the […]

3. The Declaration of Independence—Its Roots Are Found in a Virginia Document, Thomas Jefferson’s 1774 Summary View of the Rights of British America

   The Continental Congress assigned to Thomas Jefferson the task of drafting a Declaration of Independence and then cut one-quarter of what he wrote. The original text survives, however, as does a copy made by John Adams of what remained after a first edit. Those copies, plus a 1776 printing of the finished document, are displayed […]

4. The Genius of Thomas Jefferson

   The special exhibition The Private Jefferson: From the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society is currently on view at the VHS. The Massachusetts collection was placed there in 1898 by the president’s great-grandson, Thomas Jefferson Coolidge of Boston. We all know at least a little about the public Jefferson. To remind visitors of his service […]

5. The Markham Book Collection: First Steps in a New Project

   Perceptive patrons who regularly use the library’s online catalog will likely notice a new collection designation appearing in their searches—CMLS. The CMLS, or Confederate Memorial Literary Society, collections encompass manuscripts, rare books, pamphlets, broadsides, and other paper materials relating to the Civil War, its coming and its aftermath, from the Museum of the Confederacy’s Eleanor […]

6. Meet the Staff: Caroline Legros

   From answering phone inquiries to photographing new acquisitions, the staff at the VHS have a wide range of talents that help make our collections accessible to the world. Who are the talented men and women of the VHS? In a series of “Meet the Staff” blog posts, we will introduce you to the people who work behind the […]

7. What Is a Sublime Landscape? What Is a Picturesque Landscape? Where Are They Found in Virginia?

   Thomas Jefferson wrote that Natural Bridge is “the most sublime of nature’s works”: “It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime to be felt beyond what they are here.” He purchased the bridge from King George III so that so potent a landmark would remain accessible to the public, and his exclamatory statements […]

8. The VHS Brings Out the Big Guns (Literally!) with Arming the Commonwealth

   From protecting yourself from enemy combatants to finding dinner for your family, weapons have played a significant role in Virginia history. Our newest exhibition, Arming the Commonwealth, made possible by the Cecil R. and Edna S. Hopkins Family Foundation, explores how the state became a hub for weapon manufacturing and how Virginians used them in […]

9. Beat the summer heat with football cards at the VHS this Saturday, July 16

   When it was too hot to play sandlot baseball or football, I’d spend most of those hot summer days heading to the pool or going to the local sports card store. As my wife will tell you, I’m not much of a pool person, so the card shop was my choice. The card shop provoked […]

10. Why We Need to Talk About James Armistead Lafayette

    The following blog was written by Sarah Wells, a senior at St. Catherine’s School, who just completed an internship in the public relations and marketing department at the Virginia Historical Society. Enjoy Lizzie Oglesby I, like many other young people these days, am undeniably obsessed with the Broadway musical Hamilton by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Not only […]