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Museum Hopping
Highland County Museum celebrates local history, heritage
By Margo Oxendine, Staff Writer
 | | The newly-opened research center at the Highland County Historical Society's Mansion House Museum and Heritage Center offers much to please genealogists, including two computers and printers, comfy chairs, and shelves of research material. |
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McDOWELL - The Highland County Historical Society has done wonders creating an attractive, interesting museum on a small budget in a remote, rural locale.
Recently, things just got even better.
The society has completed a research center for genealogists with roots in Highland, Virginia's "Little Switzerland." The large, well-lit room is nicely appointed with two desks, an easy chair with ottoman for reading by a west window, two long mahogany library tables, and adequate lighting for reading and note-taking, suitable for spending hours paging through the past.
Today's genealogy researcher is quite versed in, and reliant upon, Internet research. The Highland County center provides two computers and two printers for their use.
The research library is quite comprehensive. Volumes include general Highland County history; copies of high school yearbooks; sections related to adjacent Bath, Augusta and Pendelton (W.Va.) counties; general Virginia history and reference books; genealogy help books, and back issues of Virginia Genealogy Magazine. There are filing cabinets full of papers of particular families and local events, too. The bookshelves also hold bound copies of "Civil War Times," and lots of other Civil War-related research volumes. This is only fitting, considering the fields surrounding the McDowell museum, and indeed, the historic Hull House that houses the museum, are steeped in Civil War history.
 | | Lovely period clothing makes for a fascinating display at the Mansion House Museum. Most of it was worn by folks in Highland County, between 1880 and 1920. (Recorder photos by Margo Oxendine) |
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The town was the site of the Battle of McDowell, the first victory of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's Valley Campaign, on May 8, 1862. While the museum presents the day-to-day trappings and artifacts of the county's history, it is also devoted to the Battle of McDowell. A sunny southeast parlor of the Hull House is the perfect place to become acquainted with the battle, complete with a largescreen video presentation, maps and other memorabilia.
Those who hanker for more of an immersion experience should plan to visit McDowell Battlefield Heritage Days, held every other year on the first weekend in May. The popular, historically accurate reenactment, sponsored by the Society and the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, next occurs in 2009. It is a trip back in history, not soon to be forgotten.
According to the Society's websit, www.highlandhistory.org, "As the 'Federal troops occupy the village, 'local townspeople' interact with the 'occupiers.' Events include: Living history and Battle of McDowell re-enactments; lectures and readings by well-known Civil War authors; talks on the Civil War era (everyday life, its medicine, the role of women, Civil War dress and manners, anecdotal stories of Civil War era personalities); horsedrawn wagon tours of the military camps; and craft demonstrations such as blacksmithing, quilting, churning and weaving all center at the historic McDowell Presbyterian Church.
The rest of the museum is a testament to the cooperative, can-do spirit of Highland County. There's a nice exhibit on general stores, including a list of some 50-75 of the important community gathering spots. The exhibit includes store "tokens," which were the coupons of the day, store ledgers, and photographs.
Early Highland County schools are remembered in another exhibit, which includes a great photograph of an early school bus, nearly overloaded with students and teachers, and pulled by two draft horses.
Those with an affinity for quilts and coverlets will not be disappointed. Quite a few are on display, including one with a unique story: The "Rings and Diamond" coverlet, circa 1850, was part of an estate auction in 1911. After she overheard a farmer stating he would use it as a horse blanket, "Grandmother Chew" outbid him to save the coverlet. She paid $2.50. The blanket, and others, were donated to the museum by Russell Chew. Several others were gifts from Dr. Leslie Syron.
In the center museum room, there is a magnificent Hallett & Comston piano with ivory keys, circa 1854. Purchased by William Henry Vance of McDowell for his wife, the piano was one of just three in McDowell in 1860. One of them belonged to George Washington Hull, who built the Mansion House Museum in 1851. After the Battle of McDowell, a VMI cadet reported finding a dead Union soldier lying across the piano in the Hull House.
No ghastly, ghostly presence overshadowed the museum on a recent sunny fall afternoon. There was, however, a delightful display of women's and children's clothing from the 1880s through the early 1900s. The clothes are in impeccable condition; most of the people who wore the clothing are identified, and unique to Highland County. Purses, jewelry, hair ornaments, scarves, hats, gloves, lingerie pins and compacts are also displayed.
Across from the ladies' accessories are the accoutrements of Highland County gentlemen. These include a 1900 Bowler hat, spectacles, pocket tools, a moustache cup with saucer, shaving mug, an interesting early folding cup, a gentleman's calling card, a celluloid clerical collar, a straight razor with case, cigarette lighters, and several tins of tobacco.
Another case features the medical bag of Dr. Berlie T. Slicker of Blue Grass, who practiced in Highland from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Museum-goers, while they love to steep themselves in local history, also enjoy and expect a gift shop. They will find a nice one in the Mansion House, replete with books, CDs, genealogical research materials, colorful drawings by local artist Bud Cook, china, trays, bookmarks, candles, note cards, special things for children and, of course, the requisite T-shirts and caps.
Another surprise for a small rural museum is the sophisticated security system.
The museum has one paid staff member, executive director Crysta Stanton. Volunteer docents also pitch in, keeping the museum open from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays, from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays, and other times by appointment. The research center - free to society members, with a $5 research contribution from nonmembers - is open 9 a.m. -3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday from March through December, and in January and February by appointment. The phone number is 540-396- HIST (4478). Visit the society's Web site for more comprehensive information about the collection, events and other points of interest.
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