Dates: 1953-1959
Collection Number: MS 45
Physical Location: Archive Room File Cabinet
Extent: 2 folders.
Creators/Collectors: Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society (Charlottesville, Va.)
Access Restrictions: Collection is open to research.
User Restrictions: No restrictions.
Preferred Citation: Miscellaneous Papers Relating to the Albemarle County Historical Society, MS 45, Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, Charlottesville, Va.
Acquisition Information: Gift, Mrs. J. Gordon Lindsay [Elsie M. Lindsay], 25 October 1978.
Biographical/Historical Information: The Albemarle County Historical Society, now the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, was founded in 1940 to study, preserve, and promote the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. It acquired 220 Court Square as its first headquarters in 1967. In 1994 the Society moved to the former McIntire Library on Second street. Its name changed to the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society in 2002.
Scope and Content:
This collection contains records and correspondence relating to the activities of the Albemarle County Historical Society from 1953 to 1959. The largest subfolder contains materials on the Michie Tavern controversy.
Arrangement:
Folder 1:
Folder A: Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1 item, 4p. – Notes in shorthand on stationery of Mrs. J. Gordon Lindsay.
Folder B: Meetings of ACHS, 3 items
(1) Onion skin copy of letter from James Hart to Mr. and Mrs. Carter of Redlands, 13 June 1957, regarding the society holding its next meeting at Redlands.
(2) ALS (torn) from James Hart to Mrs. J. Gordon Lindsay, 4 July 1957, regarding his travel plans and return date to Charlottesville.
(3) ALS from Mrs. J. Gordon Lindsay to Mrs. Carter of Redlands, 24 August 1957, regarding plans for the meeting at Redlands.
Folder C: Loss of Albemarle County Court Order Books, 1 item, 2p. – Typescript memorandum prepared by Mary Rawlings regarding the question of how the order books were destroyed.
Folder D: Constitution and By-Laws, 2 items, 4p. – Typescript of the ACHS Constitution and By-Laws, January 1953.
Folder E: Historic Building Recognition, 3 items
(1) Photocopy of typescript memo – Communication from ACHS to Societies, Clubs, and Associations interested in the cultural assets of Charlottesville and Albemarle County, 5 January 1954, signed by Bernard Chamberlain, President. Appended is the report of the Committee for Preservation of Antiquities in Charlottesville, written by Evelina Magruder, chairman of this ACHS committee. 6p.
(2) Typescript giving the wording of plaques to be placed on historic buildings and a list of other buildings of architectural significance, circa 1954. 7p.
(3) Typescript similar to item 2 but with some changes in wording and comments. 8p.
Folder F: Membership in ACHS, 8 items
(1) ALS from Mrs. J. Gordon Lindsay to Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Marran of Mirador, 27 October 1954, regarding membership.
(2) Envelope with ALS from Alfred Percy of Madison Heights, Va., to Mrs. Lindsay, 3 November 1954, regarding membership.
(3) Envelope with ALS from Lena Barksdale to Mrs. Lindsay, 2 February 1957, nominating John S. Wendt for membership.
(4) Envelope with TLS from Lena Barksdale to Mrs. Lindsay, 26 February 1955, nominating Miss Elizabeth Johnston and Mrs. Philip Speed for membership.
(5) Envelope with ALS from John S. Wendt, 1 May 1955, accepting membership.
(6) Note from Genevieve Wilson to Mr. Francis Fife, secretary of ACHS, 10 June 1955, nominating Arthur Stocker for membership.
(7) Envelope from Aline T. Kennan to Mrs. Lindsay, 17 September 1955, accepting membership.
(8) Handwritten membership records with notation relating to 30 May 1956 report, 4p.
Folder G: James Monroe Portrait, 1 item – Onionskin memo from Milton Grigg, President to Floyd E. Johnson, Miss Anna Barringer and Mrs. Gordon Lindsay, 9 May 1956, naming them as a committee to work with a committee from the Bar Association to secure a portrait of James Monroe for the courthouse.
Folder H: Michie Tavern Controversy – ACHS contends that the tavern was not the boyhood homer of Patrick Henry, nor built by his father and the tavern should stop using these statements in their advertising.
(1) ALS from Elsie E. Lindsay to Mrs. Vestal Thomas Milton of Michie Tavern, 1 April 1957, regarding the dispute between the organizations.
(2) Onionskin copy of letter from Robert D. Meade, Randolph Macon Women’s College (Lynchburg, Va.), to Bernard Chamberlain, 30 April 1957, endorsing the ACHS position about Michie Tavern.
(3) TLS from Bernard Chamberlain to ACHS Committee, 3 May 1957, forwarding a copy of item 2.
(4) Onionskin typescript of Report of Michie Tavern Committee of ACHS to the Council of ACHS, 17 May 1957, 3p.
(5) Onionskin copy of letter from James Hart, President, to Mrs. Vestal Thomas Milton, 15 September 1957, discussing contents of document to be submitted to an arbiter of the controversy.
(6) Onionskin copy of letter from Bernard Chamberlain and Vestal Milton to Dr. Edwin C. Hemphill, 15 September 1957, requesting him to serve as arbiter.
(7) ALS from James Hart, President, to Bernard Chamberlain, 23 September 1957, enclosing Pace Taxi card [torn] advertising Michie Tavern as the boyhood home of Patrick Henry.
(8) Photocopy of notice from C.H. Moran, Jr., Secretary, calling a meeting of ACHS, 14 January 1958, at Court House to consider a special report of the Michie Tavern Committee (report attached), 7p.
(9) Photocopy of newspaper clipping; Jean Bruns; “Society to Take stand on Henry’s Home as a Boy;” Daily Progress, 12/29/1957.
(10) Photocopy of newspaper clipping; “Society Disputes History of Tavern;” Daily Progress, 1/12/1958.
(11) Draft typescript of Resolution on Michie Tavern adopted by ACHS on 14 January 1958, prepared by C.H. Moran, Jr., Secretary.
(12) Photocopy of newspaper clipping; “Historical Society Declares Facts do not Link Michie Tavern with Patrick Henry’s Boyhood Home;” Daily Progress, 1/14/1958.
Folder 2: Landscaping of Albemarle County Courthouse
Architectural plans drawn by Alden Hopkins, April 1959, for landscaping the Albemarle County Courthouse, Charlottesville, Va. Includes a TLS from Alden Hopkins to Maupin Pence, 18 April 1959, discussing details of the construction, and a photocopy of TLS letter.
Corporate Names: Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society (Charlottesville, Va.)
Subjects:
- Albemarle County Courthouse (Charlottesville, Va.)
- Albemarle County Historical Society (Charlottesville, Va.)
- Michie Tavern (Charlottesville, Va.)
Record Types: Correspondence
Related Collections: MS 171: Albemarle County Historical Society
