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"To collect, preserve, protect and publicly display material that is historically
significant to Bath County; to sponsor the publication of articles and books focused
on this historical record; and, to contribute to the understanding of Bath County
history by developing a direct and meaningful relationship with the schools, the
community, and genealogical researchers." The Bath County Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1969 and dedicated to preserving the artifacts and records of our county’s rich 214-year heritage. We fulfill our mission with these community and public services:
We operate a museum of artifacts and antiquities culled from Bath County’s past. Our displays include primitive farming implements; Civil War memorabilia; local Confederate currency, letters and photographs; and a collection of pre-1900 clothing and accessories. We display the original 1767 land deed to Andrew Lewis. Our showcase items include a magnificent mahogany secretary, a square grand piano transported from Germany to Bolar in 1820, and a walnut and marble dresser from the Warm Springs Hotel.
We maintain a genealogical and historical research library of more than 1,000 volumes. Our rare book collection includes several family Bibles from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as many of the region’s first travelogues.
Our educational outreach programs cater to children as well as adults. We assisted in preparing and presenting an overview of Bath history for both of the county’s elementary schools. We regularly entertain classes of school children and 4-H clubs in our museum. Our administrator speaks about Bath history to local organizations, and summer park interpretive programs.
When weather permits, we offer “Tiptoe Through the Tombstones,” a tour of the oldest graves in Warm Springs cemetery, complete with stories and photographs of those who helped shape our history.
Twice yearly, we invite our members and the general public to an afternoon program featuring a speaker on a specific topic – Civil War, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, rare books, collecting, etc.
When student interest and our budget allow, we try to award an annual history prize to a local high school student. This summer, we will be steeping a student intern in Bath County history.
Each fall we endeavor to present an annual fundraiser, with the accent on the “fun.” These have included appraisal fairs along the lines of “Antiques Roadshow,” and several auctions.
We compile semiannual newsletters for our membership of approximately 450; this offers tidbits of interesting local history, touts new books in our library and gifts to our collections, and provides a forum for genealogical queries.
We publish books relating to local and regional history, including lists of marriages, deaths, wills and inventories, Censuses, and personal property taxes. Our recent publications include “Images of America: Bath County, Virginia” by Margo Oxendine and, “Historically Speaking: True Tales of Bath County, Virginia” by eminent local historian Hugh Gwin.
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Copyright 2006 - Bath County Historical Society
Last updated November 9, 2006
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