The Chesterfield County Historical Society of Virginia
The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia, established on September 23, 1981, serves as the center for Chesterfield County history. The mission of the Historical Society is to collect, preserve, interpret and promote Chesterfield County’s unique past.

The Historical Society provides quality programs, exhibits and information to support educational goals. The exhibits in the museum and Magnolia Grange are in partnership with Chesterfield County.

Located at Castlewood, the library of the Chesterfield Historical Society is a research facility. It focuses primarily on the history of the county and its families. The collection has been carefully assembled and preserved through the years by members and friends of the Historical Society. The library maintains manuscript collections, vertical files, maps and pictures. The public is welcome to make use of the library free of charge.

The Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia recently unveiled a new "First Contact" exhibit in the Chesterfield County Community Development Building lobby

The display features life-size models of Capt. John Smith and Native American Chief Powhatan. Powhatan’s proper name was Wahunsenacawh, and he was the leader of the Powhatan tribe, as well as the leader of an associated confederacy of numerous tribes speaking Algonquian languages that was known as the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom. He lived in Virginia during the time of the first English-Native American encounters and was the father of Pocahontas and other children. The exhibit includes Native American artifacts and was developed to promote the 400th anniversary in 2011 of the founding of the Citie of Henricus, the second permanent English settlement in the New World. People are encouraged to visit Henricus Historical Park and the county's many other historic sites.

The Chesterfield County Museum’s general store exhibit now has a new look and a new location, but all the same old-fashioned charm.

Some Chesterfield County residents remember the days of the old general store. It was the “one-stop shop” of the late 1800s and early 1900s, selling everything from hardware to bulk foods to clothing, and even sometimes doubling as the local post office.

While most general stores that once dotted the county are gone, a newly updated exhibit at the Chesterfield County Museum enables visitors to step back in time and experience the precursors to today’s big-box retailers.

The museum had housed a general-store exhibit in its basement since 1985. A recent renovation moved the store upstairs, where now it is accessible to all visitors and nearer to other exhibits that detail county history. Antique lighting and hardwood floors — features that weren’t part of the previous exhibit — replicate the look of the original general store that was common in Chesterfield County during the early 20th century.

Inside, visitors will find all the artifacts from the previous exhibit, many of which were donated by residents. Others came from the old Brooks Store that was located in the Winterpock area of the county. The display includes a pot-bellied stove, a butter churn, farm tools, cast iron pots and pans, old magazines and bottles, tobacco, a spittoon, an apple press, ink blotters and an old-fashioned typewriter.

The exhibit brings back memories for some who visit, said Holly Rush, historic sites manager for the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation. For younger visitors, it’s a chance to experience a bit of local history.

“It’s truly an opportunity to experience a bygone day,” Rush said. “It represents simpler times. The general store was the Wal-Mart of its day.”

General stores played an important role in Chesterfield County’s more rural days.

“Because we have no towns in this community, the general store recreates the community center of the past, where news was exchanged while personal business was conducted” said Liess van der Linden-Brusse, president of the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia. “The artifacts, many of which are no longer in use, fascinate visitors young and old.”

Employees from the county’s Buildings and Grounds division completed the woodwork and painting on the general store exhibit. Volunteers from the Chesterfield Historical Society created a digital database of the artifacts prior to moving them upstairs and developing the new exhibit.

The Chesterfield County Museum is at 6813 Mimms Loop, Chesterfield. Hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free.

The museum is managed by Parks and Recreation Department staff. The Chesterfield Historical Society oversees the collection of artifacts and is always looking for new Chesterfield memorabilia. For more information, call 804-768-7311.

For more information about the Chesterfield County Historical Society, please call (804) 796-7121 or visit www.chesterfieldhistory.com.

This site is sponsored by Chesterfield Heritage Alliance.
For more information, call the Chesterfield County Department of Parks and Recreation at (804) 748-1623
Copyright 2006 © Chesterfield Heritage Alliance. All rights reserved.