Browse Items (39 total)
Smith’s Fort Farmhouse, Surry County, circa 1930s
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…
Cape Charles Lighthouse, Smith Island and Chesapeake Bay, circa 1890
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses. They serve as beacons for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous…
Petition of James Lafayette, New Kent County, 1786
James (Armistead) Lafeyette was born into enslavement around 1760. He lived most of his life on a plantation owned by William Armistead in New Kent County. In documents related to James Lafayette, he does not sign his name nor is he identified as…
Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation, 1775
John Murray, fourth earl of Dunmore, was the last royal governor of Virginia. Briefly governor of New York in 1770–1771, he assumed a new role as governor of Virginia in 1771. He won the support of Virginians during the conflict known as Lord…
Robert Dinwiddie Bookplate, circa 1750s
A bookplate is a small-sized, decorative label that is adhered to the inside front cover of a book. They are used to identify the owner of a book for personal use or for use in a library. Bookplates are designed to reflect a person’s interests or to…
George Washington Bookplate, 18th Century
A bookplate is a small-sized, decorative label that is adhered to the inside front cover of a book. They are used to identify the owner of a book for personal use or for use in a library. Bookplates are designed to reflect a person’s interests or to…
Anna Maria Lane, Commendation and Pension Award from William H. Cabell, 1808
Women played many roles during the American Revolution, but only a few are known to have disguised themselved as men and participated in battle. The penalties for being discovered could be severe. Women who fought in the army tried hard to keep their…
Mary Webley, Petition to the General Assembly, 1776
After the Battle of Great Bridge on December 9, 1775, Lord Dunmore and his fleet abandoned the city of Norfolk. Patriot soldiers from North Carolina and Virginia took control of the city. They refused to provide food and supplies to the British…
War Gardens Victorious, World War I Poster, 1919
As Americans prepared to send soldiers overseas during the First World War, the government reorganized the economy to better supply and equip its troops. Peacetime industries shifted towards producing needed military goods (like uniforms and…
World War I African American Recruitment Poster
On April 2, 1917, after pledging to keep the country out of the European conflict, President Woodrow Wilson stood before Congress and issued a declaration of war against Germany. "The world must be made safe for democracy," he stated, framing the war…