Browse Items (415 total)
- Collection: Louisa County Historical Society
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Mica Mines
This image is of miners working at the Mica Mine in Spotsylvania County. While not a Mineral mine, it is located along the same pyrite belt from which the miners in Mineral found their ore. Because of this, the methods by which they mined were likely…
Mica Mines
This image portrays the workers of the Mica Mine, located across the Spotsylvania border. The caption states Orange, Virginia, as it was taken by a photographer from Orange. While the mine itself was not in Mineral, it was in very close proximity and…
Allah Cooper Mine
This image displays the Allah Cooper Mine during the active mining era in Mineral, Virginia. The two men toward the front left are said to be the managers of the Allah Cooper Mine. The Man far left of the group is N.H. Chandler (has mustache and…
Allah Cooper Mine
This image is of one of the main buildings at the Allah Cooper Mine. There were twenty-four mines in the Mineral area, all near Contrary Creek.
Daily Life at Arminius Mines
This image is of the manager's family and their help standing in front of their housing at the Arminius Mines. In 1904, the mines were run by seven managers overseeing a workforce of three hundred men. It is said that the managers would often invite…
Albon P. Mann
This image is of Albon P. Mann, Superintendent of the Arminius Mines. Albon P. Mann carried the main responsibility for the productivity of the mine and was in constant correspondence with manufacturers whom he had made contracts with. His brother,…
Arminius Mines Postcard
This postcard displays the buildings of the Arminius Mines in the wintertime. Winter presented a whole new set of challenges for the mines. During the colder months, moisture would enter the ore and freeze while it was transported in railroad cars.…
Boyd Smith Mine
This image is of the buildings of Boyd Smith Mine. The caption reads "Virginia Pyrite Mine Plant." There were twenty-four mines in the area, each located along Contrary Creek.
Postcard of Boyd Smith Mines
This is a postcard of the buildings of the Boyd Smith Mine, one of the larger mines in the area. With twenty-four mines in the Contrary Creek area, mining was a large source of employment for Louisa County.
Postcard of Arminius Mines
This is a postcard of the business center for the Arminius Mines. The Arminius Mines struggled financially as they were constantly behind in their shipments. The company changed owners on several occasions. In the first sale, they hoped to obtain…
Sulphur Mine
This is an image of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad coming into the Sulphur Mine. The railroad was the sole method of the mines transporting their ore and receiving supplies. One worry of the mines was that the threat of war could cause their raw…
Corduroy Farm
These images are from Corduroy Farm, a large farm located about 8 miles west from the town of Louisa. during the World War II period. Rural electrification did not come to outlying areas until a few years after the war, so farming practices relied…
Negro 4-H Clubs
During the Jim Crow era every area of life was segregated. In many ways, two parallel universes existed in the South and in Central Virginia; one white and one black. Since agriculture was vitally imporant to white and black farmers in Louisa…
Gordon Family
While many African American families struggled to survive as well as to receive a good education, there were a few families who prospered after emancipation. Reuben Gordon was a former slave who worked on the Garland Plantation. After the Civil War,…
Daily Life
For many African Americans, daily life after slavery was not much different than life in bondage. There was still a struggle for survival for many African American families. Most of the residents of Louisa County lived on farms and until Rural…
Jeff Porter
These images are photos of Jeff Porter and his home. Porter was born sometime in 1849. Throughout his lifetime in Louisa County, Porter lived at Trevillians Depot. We know little more about him than what these photos reveal, except that he was a…
Aunt Dinah Robinson
This photograph is an image of Aunt Dinah Robinson who served as the janitor at the Mineral High School during the era of segregation. In most cases, it was African Americans who worked as the janitors at white schools, and they witnessed the…
At Poindexter Store
This photograph is an image of three African American individuals outside of the Poindexter Store in Louisa County. The style of clothing of the two women in this photograph suggests that both are domestic workers (the apron and the hats). Often, if…
"WE LIFT AS WE CLIMB"
Early African American schools were designed to advance younger generations of African Americans. Within this community of individuals there was a belief that, as an African American became more educated and continued to exceed in society, the…
First Baptist Church
The picture on the left is an image of the original building for the First Baptist Church on its present location one block west of the courthouse. This is not the building that the trustees purchased in 1866. The picture on the right is an image of…