Local History
From its time as Algonquian territory through its establishment as the Old Dominion, our area has a past well worth discovering.
Local History Featured
A Guide to Local Parks
Check out these beautiful natural areas in the Rappahannock region.
New in Virginia History
These are recently published adult nonfiction titles on our state's hundreds of years of history.
The Summer Reading Challenge & Accessibility
Our new Beanstack Summer Reading Challenge interface has several features to increase accessibility.
Local History
A Civil War Christmas
If we lived during the Civil War, what kinds of memories would we have? Learn a bit more about Christmas during the years 1861-1864.
Rolling Down the Line: Trains in Virginia History
Virginia trains have taken on many roles in the past 200 years, from delivering cargo and passengers to serving as festive Santa trains.
American Indian Tribes on the Rappahannock
The Patawomeck, Rappahannock, Mattaponi share vibrant legacies through their oral traditions and at their cultural centers.
Fredericksburg Welcomes the Marquis de Lafayette
Learn the story of how a French aristocrat helped the United States break away from Great Britain and what happened during his 1824 return.
Local African American Historical Sites
Our surrounding counties have houses, churches, and museums of great importance to African American history and heritage.
Union Church of Falmouth
When the storm destroyed Union Church’s roof in 1950, there wasn’t much to be done about it. It had not been used since 1935, after all,…
Westmoreland's African American History
Learn more about Westmoreland County’s African American history, which dates back to the 17th century.
Medal of Honor Winner Was Spotsylvania Native
Buffalo Soldiers from the 24th Infantry were part of the 12-man escort that would go down fighting during a fateful day in 1889.
Guest Pick: Ann Waters, Public Historian
Ann is the manager of Interpretation and Visitor Services at the George Washington Foundation in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Janetta FitzHugh Fought for Women's Rights in Fredericksburg
Read about Fredericksburg citizen Janetta R. FitzHugh, who fought for the women's right to vote in the early 20th century.
John Francis Mercer of Stafford County
John Francis Mercer served as an officer in the Revolutionary War and was a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress.
John Paul Jones of the U.S. Navy
From a Scottish port to colonial Fredericksburg to the royal courts of France and Russia, Captain John Paul Jones never gave up.
A Family Narrative of a Revolutionary Officer
"It may seem strange that so young as I was, not seventeen years old, that I should have the command that I had..."
Fredericksburg in Revolutionary Days, Part I
Dive into these excerpts from a Revolutionary War diary.
Genealogy Research Tips for Finding Enslaved Ancestors
Here are some research tips and resources that you can use to break through into the past and find your family.
Walk Through History...Washington Avenue
This residential neighborhood was once part of the 863-acre Kenmore Plantation...