Browse Exhibits (14 total)
1782 Personal Property Tax Records from Fluvanna County Virginia
The Fluvanna County Historical Society has been the steward of the historic 1782 documents for many years. The Society's volunteers have scanned the original images and made them available through this digital archive. They have also transcribed and formatted the data for compatability with the GEDCOM data standard and provided these indices as both spreadsheet and CSV files. The first page in this exhibit provides the Microsoft Excel index file for download, the second page shows thumbnails for the images of the documents (clicking on the image takes you to the item page), and the third page provides the data index for download as a comma delimited text file.
A Segregated Virginia
This exhibit focuses on segregation in Virginia during the 20th Century. Included are photographs and documents structured to illustrate the African American schools, Racial Integrity laws, and segregation in all aspects of life that defined the South during this period in history.
VS.1a, VS.1g, VS.8b, USII.1a, USII.1d, USII.3a, USII.4c
African-American Research in Louisa County before 1870
One of the hardest tasks in African-American research is locating records before 1865. To help with that task, the following pages present records which can make some sort of connection between freedmen and their former enslavers. It is by the name of their enslaver that most records of enslaved people can be found: in birth and death reports, estate settlements, bills of sale, rental of labor, etc.
What follows are the relevant records available for Louisa County with a brief introduction to them and how they might be useful in research.
A special thanks goes to the tireless efforts of so many Louisa County Historical Society Volunteers for their transcription efforts. We also want to express our thanks to the Library of Virginia who has carefully housed and made available many of the records sets contained here.
American Revolution
Louisa County had its own unique role in the American Revolution. From being the home of our nation's forefathers, including Patrick Henry, to many of the county's men participating in the revolution's battles, or simply being a prime example of colonial life, it is evident that Louisa was as actively involved in the revolution as any place in the thirteen colonies.
VS.4e, VS.5a, VS.5b, USI.5c, USI.6b, USI.6c
Building of Infrastructure
Items that fit SOLs VS.8c, VS.10c, USII.4d, and USII.9b
Civil War
Louisa was a major contributor to the Confederacy in the Civil War. The largest all-cavalry battle of the entire Civil War occured in Louisa County. In this battle, Union Major General Philip H. Sheridan left the Army of the Potomac on June 7, 1864 and headed west up the North Anna River toward Trevilian Station, a stop on the Virginia Central Railroad. He took with him 9,600 men, 24 guns, and 125 wagons.
His goal was to intersect the railroad in western Louisa County and destroy all rail assets from there to Charlottesville before moving on to Richmond.
Confederate General Robert E. Lee sent cavalry divisions in pursuit of Sheridan on June 9th. This consisted of 6,000 cavalry men and 400 horse artillerists all sent to protect the railroad and supply lines.
In the end, Union General Sheridan broke off the fight and returned to the Army of the Potomac, having failed to unite with General Hunter or to inflict any permanent damage to the railroad. Sheridan lost 935 men in the two day battle, while Confederate loses probably numbered close to 815 men.
James H. Kidd described the battle, stating "The planning and fighting of the battle, with its artful maneuvers and tactical stratagems, have been compared to a game of chess. To my mind, no cavalry engagement of the Civil War had more points of resemblance to the moves of knights and pawns upon the chessboard than did the first day at Trevilian Station."
VS.7a, USI.9a, USI.9f
Images of women in the early 20th C.
The following images are from the archives of the Louisa County Historical Society and profile the women of the county in the early 20th C.
Louisa Court House Microfilm Index
Microfilm Index compiled by the late Janice L. Abercrombie
The list contains 20,820 names extracted from the microfilm rolls of records in the Louisa County Clerk's office. Some originals are in the courthouse but most have been permanently sent to the Library of Virginia in Richmond.
Click on the link to the right to access the index. The index, in sections as PDF files, can be downloaded by clicking on the large image at the top of the page or viewed online below the image.
Most of the rolls of film are available for Inter Library Loan. See the first item marked "Microfilm at the Library of Virgina" "Microfilm Rolls by number and description" for roll number to request. Rolls referenced in the index but not listed on the LVA form are not available for Interlibrary Loan (ILL) but if you are in Richmond, the films are available at the Library of Virginia.
The Historical Society remains grateful for the laborious work of Janice Luck Abercrombie and offers this index both to preserve it and to honor her work
Mining in Mineral
The prospect of gold boosted the population of tiny Tolersville, Virginia. Many came to the area, desperate to strike it rich along the waters of Contrary Creek. Soon, these hopefuls learned that the expected totals of gold had been overestimated. However, the mining industry remained. Reserves of copper, gold, iron, pyrite, lead and zinc provided a new industry for what became the Town of Mineral, and it was thought that the area could become a metropolis. Yet, due to a multitude of hardships, the prosperity created by the mines was short lived.
Developed in cooperation with the Historic Mineral Foundation.
Items that fit SOLs VS.8c, VS.10c, USII.4d, and USII.9b
Native People
In 1850, Jabez Massie found a number of stone tools while working his farm north of Louisa. He put the items in his barn. Over 100 years later, his grandson, Quintus Massie, donated the items to the Louisa County Historical Society.
With the permission of owners of the Panamint Farm, the Society conducted a preliminary inquiry at two sites on their farm believed to be the locations of villages of Native peoples.
After conducting research at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, Dr. Dan Mour supervised an archaeological dig at the sites.
The items in this exhibit were discovered during excavation on October 21, 2007.
VS.2e, VS.2f, USI.3c
Reconstruction to 1900
This exhibit shows the African American experience after the Civil War (during the years known as Reconstruction) up to 1900.
VS.1a, VS.1g, VS.7c, VS.8a, USII.1a, USII.1d, USII.3a, USII.3b, USII.4c
The Great Depression
The Great Depression, which began with the Stock Market Crash of 1929, lasted for over a decade and few were safe from the far-reaching effects it had on various aspects of American life. Prices and policies changed, forcing people from various socioeconomic groups to adopt new lifestyles and practices. This exhibit reflects on the Great Depression's impact on the counties in central Piedmont Virginia.
World War II in Piedmont Virginia
This exhibit contains numerous contributions from local citizens with ties to the Second World War. By examining the resources provided, we gain a greater understanding of how the war affected not only the men and women serving in the military, but the impacts felt by those on the home front as well.
USII.7a, USII.7c, USII.8b