Museum of History

Currently Showing

The featured exhibit during March and April 2019 is the Daffodil Festival exhibit "Golden Memories". The exhibit features a display of the complete collection of the County daffodil posters in the Museum basement. The exhibit of posters will be open during the weekend of the Daffodil Festival and at other times upon request. The exhibit also features other relics depicting the history of the daffodil industry in Gloucester since the 1930's and are featured on the first floor of the Museum through the months of March and April.

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Other Exhibits

Also continuing on display is "The Good Old Days" exhibit which includes household items, clothing, toys, photos, tools, and numerous other items that were used in Gloucester from the late 1800's to the mid-1900's.

Another popular exhibit at the Museum is the original oil painting of Civil War General W. B. Taliaferro reviewing the last general muster of the Gloucester Militia at Roaring Springs Plantation the 4th Saturday in May 1860. Painted by Robert E Goodier (1925-1999), the painting has been donated to the Gloucester Museum of History by his family. The artist’s daughter, Elizabeth G. Esrey of Middletown, Delaware and son, Winslow R. Goodier of Glen Allen, Virginia, agreed that the painting should be returned to Gloucester because of it’s historic significance to the County. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Goodier lived at Roaring Springs Plantation from 1992 until 2004.

The Museum also continues to display numerous permanent exhibits which include:

  • Antique Survey Equipment
  • Battle of the Hook
  • Celebration of African American History in Gloucester
  • Civil War
  • Fairfield
  • Free School House
  • Gremer Doll Houses
  • The Hotel Botetourt
  • James D. Gardner
  • The Old Country Store
  • Pocahontas
  • Warner Hall

Museum Exhibits on the Second Floor

The second floor of the Gloucester Museum of History is also open to the general public. The theme of the eight station exhibit is "Echoes From The Past, Six Periods of Gloucester History."

The exhibit traces Gloucester's rich history and varied contributions from 5 million years ago, when the area was covered by a warm tropical sea, to the Civil War, when it gave both a General to the Confederate Army and was home to James D. Gardner, who rose from oysterman to become the only recipient of a Congressional Medal of Honor from the area while serving in the Union Army.

Other exhibits include:

  • Archaeological findings from "Paradise" (home of the Lees)
  • Archaeological findings from the Fairfield Plantation
  • Bacon's Rebellion
  • Gloucester's participation in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War
  • Native Americans

Also continuing on display on the second floor is the exhibit "Threads: A Loving Legacy Unfolds." This exhibit highlights the creative handiwork of ladies from two families who helped shape the history of Gloucester County - the Sterlings and the Shacklefords. Pictures of each woman are included and stories of many of the pieces on display, some dating back to 1920. The display was created by cousins Hilda Anne Nolen Hodgson, Amy Williams Boykin, Heather Sterling Pearce and Mary Anne Sterling.