In the 1930s, the Virginia State Commission on Conservation and Development’s Division of History and Archaeology received funds from the Works Progress Administration’s (later known as the Works Project Administration) Federal Art Project to commission five artists to create drawings for a publication on historic Virginia buildings. The artists applied for work through local emergency relief offices and were later assigned to the Federal Art Project. The Federal Art Project operated from 1935- 1943, although some projects began as early as 1932. It employed artists, who were receiving public assistance, to create art for educational, community service, and research projects. Artists employed in the program created murals, paintings, sculpture, posters, graphics, museum exhibits, scenic art for theatre productions, and documentation for the Index of American Design.
Under the direction of Hamilton J. Eckenrode, the commission’s Division of History and Archaeology began making a record of historic buildings in Virginia in 1932. Field assistant (and artist) Rex M. Allyn took photographs of buildings while on assignment to the Division’s Historic Highway Marker project. From 1932 to 1937, Allyn and four other artists—Edward A. Darby, Dorothea A. Farrington, E. Neville Harnsberger, and Elsie J. Mistie— created numerous pen-and-ink and pencil drawings from the photographs. In some cases, the artists were asked to adjust the architectural details to produce a drawing that more closely represented the original structure.
Preview Activity
Take a Look: Look at the image, what do you notice about it? What does the image suggest about the time in which it was created?
Post Activities
Up for Debate: The purpose of the Federal Art Project was to employ artists who were struggling to find work. List three benefits of the program and three reasons why some people may have objected to this program. Based on your understanding, which side would you support? Why?
Artistic Exploration: Look closely at the drawing of Shellfield. To what extent do you think it is an accurate and detailed representation of the structure? Be specific in your answer.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and ends November 30, with the season’s peak occurring between August and October. During the very active hurricane season of 1933, the Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane hit coastal Virginia on August 23, 1933. The intense rain and sustained winds caused catastrophic damage. The storm was first noticed when it was east of the Windward Islands. By mid-August, the tropical storm was 900 miles east of Puerto Rico and within 150 miles of Bermuda. On August 23rd, the storm, now a hurricane, changed track. The eye of the hurricane passed over Norfolk and moved north.
The affected area covered large parts of the city of Norfolk, Princess Anne, Northampton, Accomack, York, Gloucester, Mathews, and Lancaster counties. Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland counties were also affected to a lesser extent. The hurricane caused $27.2 million in damage and fewer than 20 deaths in the state.
Citation: Hurricane Recovery in Tidewater Virginia: A Partial Report on Red Cross Relief and Rehabilitation in the Area Damaged by Wind and Tidal Wave on August, 23, 1933, Mathews County Red Cross Records (Barcode 1184542), Library of Virginia.
Earth Science: ES.12
Preview Activity
Scan It: Scan the document. What words or phrases provide information about the subject of the document?
Post Activity
STEM STAT: Hurricanes can have sustained rain and wind that cause widespread damage across large areas. Where do hurricanes form? Why do they travel across oceans and follow somewhat predictable patterns? Consider how currents impact developing storms and the number of densely populated coastal communities when writing your response.
Current Connections: Hurricanes are more frequent and stronger that in the past. What can be done to make hurricane prone coastal areas safer? Why might it be important to preserve parts of coastal areas? Explain.
The Skyline Drive was created and designed to be a scenic driving road as part of Shenandoah National Park. The Shenandoah National Park was created in 1926 to preserve the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains for recreational use and for future generations. The creation of the Shenandoah National Park represented one of the biggest land seizures using eminent domain in Virginia state history. The park is composed of about 190,000 acres of donated and state purchased land that was later given to the federal government for the creation of Shenandoah National Park, the Skyline Drive, and the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway.
The groundbreaking for the Skyline Drive happed July 18, 1931. The construction of the roadway was considered a pioneering effort given the topography of the region. Designers had to develop new techniques in landscape architecture and engineering to create a safe roadway through the mountains. The funding for the roadway was originally allocated by the Federal Drought Relief Administration which encourages the employment of Virginia farmers and apple pickers who were suffering from the economic impacts of a severe drought. Other workers were provided by the Civilian Conservation Corps who graded the slopes of the roadway, built guardrails and wall, constructed overlooks, made signs, built a variety of structures needed for visitation, and planted hundreds of thousands of plants as part of the landscape design. In 1932, the Marys Rock Tunnel was bored through solid granite. The tunnel is 670 feet long and became one of the most iconic visual features of the roadway. The last potion of the Skyline Drive was completed in 1939.
Today the park has grown to about 200,000 acres and serves as one of the most popular parks in the country.
Citation: Heinemann, R. L. Shenendoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Prints and Photoprgaphs Collection, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph, what details in the photo tell you about the opening of the Skyline Drive? Be specific
Post Activities
Current Connections: How does the right to private property vs. the state's use of eminent domain laws create conflict? Can you cite a current or past issue that illustrates this conflict?
Artistic Expression: You are an artist creating an advertisement for the opening of the Skyline Drive. Based in the photograph, create an image that would encourage visitors to visit the Skyline Drive.
STEM STAT: The Skyline Drive required engineers and Landscape architects use their problem-solving skills to design the Skyline Drive. If you were an early engineer or landscape architect, what would concern you most about designing a roadway in the mountains? Consider environment, changing weather conditions, erosion, and other factors which might influence design decisions
Waterways provided the people of the Eastern Shore and Hampton Roads regions with access to food, supplies, and transport long before English colonists arrived in 1607. As English settlements displaced and removed Indigenous people from the land near the waterways, the rivers became important to sustaining a growing population of settlers as the transportation of supplies was critical to survival in the early colonial period. The use of these waterways for transportation of people and goods in eastern Virginia continues into the 21st century.
Early in the 20th century, vehicles transporting goods from the Eastern Shore to southeastern Virginia had to be driven into Maryland and south through Virginia. The Chesapeake Ferry Company, which was formed in 1919 and ran until 1952, provided ferry services to businesses and communities along the Chesapeake Bay, including the Elizabeth, James, and York Rivers. The use of ferries capable of transporting passengers and vehicles opened the region to new businesses and opportunities for tourism.
Travel brochures like this one were a popular means to enticing people to visit the Hampton Roads area. The image and information provided were meant to show the ease of traveling by ferry to areas that were not easily accessed by land routes, such as Old Point Comfort (now known as Fort Monroe), which is located the Chesapeake Bay near Hampton and Norfolk. The ferry lines made visitation to previously difficult-to-reach locations possible, transforming the region into a hub for transportation and tourism.
Today, the Virginia Department of Transportation operates a ferry line that connects Surry County to James City County near the Jamestown area. The newest ferry in the fleet is the 2019 Powhatan. Hampton Roads Transit operates a ferry line that crosses the Elizabeth River from Norfolk to Portsmouth. Although not as popular as they once were, ferries are still important to the local communities that they serve.
Citation: Chesapeake Ferry Company Travel Brochure, Manuscripts and Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Social Studies: VS.1, VS.9, VUS.1, VUS.8, CE.12, CE.13
Earth Science: ES.6, ES.8
Art: 4.1, 5.1
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the image on the travel brochure. What do you think it was meant to do? Who might be the desired customer for a ferry trip across a river?
Post Activities
STEM Stat: The Hampton Roads and Tidewater region has long been known for an abundance of waterways which lead to the Chesapeake Bay. There exists an adage that ”water is life.” Consider the importance of waterways such as the James and York Rivers; why were many indigenous towns, early English settlements, plantations, mills, and military bases located along waterways? What natural resources could be found along the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Southeastern Virgina?
Current Connection: The Hampton Roads and Tidewater region is a major area for tourism in Virginia and the Jamestown-Scotland ferry is still popular with tourists. How were the early efforts to promote tourism through the use travel brochures similar or different from tourism promotions today?
Social Media Spin: Create an image for a social media post to encourage tourists to explore southeastern Virgnia using ferries and other forms of water transportation on the rivers leading to the Chesapeake Bay.
Amid the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the presidential election over Herbert Hoover making him the first Democratic president in 12 years. As President, FDR took quick action, through his New Deal initiative, to provide relief to struggling families and individuals through a variety of social programs while also establishing measures which would achieve economic recovery. While the New Deal was helpful, it did not do enough, and a second New Deal plan would become the centerpiece of FDR’s second election campaign. The second round of programs included the Social Security Act and the creation of the Works Progress Administration which employed three to eight million people in a variety of public service positions before the program ended in 1941. The Democratic Congress also passed tax revision, raising tax rates for those with large incomes and for large corporations.
While popular with many Americans, New Deal policies found enemies in the Republican Party, far-left political figures, and most notably the figures of Father Coughlin and Huey Long, who represented a growing group of people who were critical of the social programs, Social Security Administration, regulation of business which were parts of the New Deal and Second New Deal. Long died before FDR’s second election campaign and Coughlin was born in Canada so he could not run for President. The Republicans put forth Kansas Governor Alfred Landon, who did not object to most of the social programs of the New Deal,but felt businesses and industry interests should be considered by the federal government. During the election campaign, Landon claimed FDR was corrupt and had overstepped his authority as president.
Broadsides were made and displayed in many states, including Virginia, to spread FDR;s campaign message to potential voters and serve as a reminder of the past failures of the Republican party. In the end, the Democrats were not only able to campaign on the successes and popularity of New Deal policies, but also on reminding the public of the mistakes made by previous Republican administrations. In a veritable landslide loss, Alfred M. Landon received only 8 electoral votes, carrying only Maine and Vermont.
Definition: Broadsides were posters, announcing events or proclamations, or simply advertisements.
Citation: Don't go back and backward with Republicans, Manuscripts & Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the broadside image, list 3 images or words that stand out. Why do you think the broadside was designed this way?
Post Activities
Analyze: Explain the "wolf in sheep's clothing" imagery. Why do you think this may have resonated with 1930s Americans?
Social Media Spin: Create a hashtag to match this broadside and a tweet for each of the policies that the Democrats focus on in their theme of "going back."
Political Plans: You are a member of the Landon campaign, what type of response would you give to address the issues identified in the broadside? Why?
In 1924, the federal government began looking for land in the southern Appalachian Mountains to create a large national park which would be easily accessible by individuals living in the eastern United States. The park opened in 1936 and was officially completed in 1939. The creation of the park represented one of the biggest land seizures using eminent domain in Virginia state history. Eminent Domain refers to the power of the government to take private property and convert it into public use. It is authorized through the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. constitution which states that no "private property [shall] be taken for public use, without just compensation." However, the amount or type compensation is not always easy to determine.
The homes and farms of more than 450 families in the Blue Ridge Mountain were acquired by the federal government. While many families sold their land voluntarily, some resisted. Some individuals refused offers for their land and barricaded themselves in their homes while others appeared in court. Robert H. Via argued it violated the Fourteenth Amendment's due-process clause to seize land. A three-judge panel ruled against him in 1935 and later that year when he appealed, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed his case.
The guide map shows some of the first park boundaries, ranger stations, trails and more of the Shenandoah National Park in 1937. At the time the map was made, the park was composed of about 190,000 acres of donated and state purchased land that was later donated to the federal government for a national park and the creation of the Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. Today the park has grown to about 200,000 acres and is one of the most popular parks in the country.
Citation: 1937 Guide Map of Shenandoah National Park, Map Collection, Special Collections, Library of Virginia.
Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the map. In which part of Virginia is it located? Why do you think this area was selected for a national park?
Post Activities
Up For Debate: The transformation of the Blue Ridge Mountain area in the Shenandoah National Park was achieved using eminent domain to buy private property from individuals. To what extent do you feel this was a just or unjust act? Defend your answer.
STEM STAT: Using the legend found at the bottom of the map, identify the locations of the fire lookouts and ranger stations. Why do think these structures are necessary? Why wert hep placed in those location in the national park? Think of the topography and uses of the national park.
James H. Dooley was a Virginia politician and businessman in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After the Civil War, he amassed a fortune by expanding railroad services. In 1869, he married Sallie May Dooley, a daughter of a prominent family who held romantic views of life in antebellum Virginia. In 1886, the Dooley’s acquired 100 acres of land along the James River where they planned to build their new estate. They hired architect, Edgerton Stewart Rogers, who designed the 12,000 square foot, 33-bedroom home in using a combination of Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne styles which gives Maymont House it’s unique appearance. They named their new home “May Mont” which combines Sallie Dooley’s maiden name, May, with the French word for hill “Mont”.
Maymont House was occupied by the family for 32 years and never had any other owners. Although no architectural drawings or early records of the construction of the house survive, ongoing research using the existing structure provides information about the unique features of the house. In 1925, after Mrs. Dooley’s death, the house was opened as a museum. The décor of the house is as Mrs. Dooly left it with the main parts of the house decorated in the finest of global fashions of the age and the lower half of the house presents as it was used as servants' quarters. Most the Dooley’s domestic servants were African Americans, and the quarters are segregated from the rest of the house with a separate entrance and staircase to access the main house.Preview Activity
Look at It: Look at the photograph of the Dooley mansion. From the photo, what specifically can you conclude about the wealth of the occupants? Be specific as you cite architectural and size components.
Post Activities
Think About It: Why was Maymont House opened as a musuem? What might be learned from visiting a home from the guilded age?
Food For Thought: A common design in high end homes of the age was to have the servants be invisible to those attending events or parties. This was accomplished by having the living areas sepreated from the servants areas. Why do you you think this was a desireable design consideration? Explain.
Touted as the largest and most magnificent exposition of all time, the New York World’s Fair opened at Flushing Meadows in April 1939. In the Court of States, one exhibition was strikingly different from the rest: the Virginia Room, “an island of quiet” amid the fair’s raucous and more sensational attractions. Leslie Cheek, Jr., chair of the Department of Fine Arts at the College of William and Mary and designer of the Virginia Room, and his team of artists developed a plan for a spacious circular lounge with the visitor’s focus drawn to an ornamental fountain theatrically lit from above and below. The design offered tired fairgoers a place to sit, a chance to enjoy a complimentary glass of ice water served by a white-jacketed waiter, and an array of large photograph albums prepared by the Virginia State Chamber of Commerce.
The Virginia Room albums can be thought of as a sprawling infomercial for the state, promoting it as a place not just of historic shrines and natural beauty, but as one of scientific, artistic, and intellectual sophistication. A modern state of concrete highways, world-class museums, unversities, and business-friendly public policies. When the World’s Fair closed, it was estimated that more than one million people had visited the Virginia Room and viewed its photograph collection. The photograph of the Pocahontas statue was one of the images selected to be in the Virginia Room.
By this period Pocahontas had moved into mythological status as the daughter of paramount chief Powhatan, conversion to Christianity, and marriage to colonist John Rolfe. Her images frequently were incorporated to promote Virginia and Virginia made products.
The statue of Pocahontas by William Ordway Partridge was erected at Historic Jamestowne National Park in 1922. The statue became an iconic image of Pocahontas that was often used in advertisments and for decades formed the basis for imagery of Indigenous women in major film and televison productions. Then as now, visitors photograph themselves holding hands with the staute as a momento of their visit to the park.