Nelson County Historical Society
Welcome to the Nelson County
Historical Society!
 
We invite you to join Nelson County Historical Society. Individual memberships are $25/year and family memberships are $40/year.

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Make a donation to help us continue our work in preserving Nelson County's rich history.

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Once you are a member, we encourage you to take advantage of searchable features to provide you with the very best historical information on Nelson County families and places.

 

Oakland Museum is now open 

Located at 5365 Thomas Nelson Hwy, Arrington, Virginia 22922

(U.S. 29) opposite Tye River Elementary School

Oakland Museum is now open for the spring, summer and fall with new exhibits and a number of scheduled events. New exhibits include world renowned naturalist Wirt Robinson’s field kit and tools, a new Nelson County Garden Club exhibit to correspond with the publication of the Society’s book on the many contributions of the club, additions to the music exhibit including displays on teachers Dolores Truesdale and Joe Madison, and the Nelson County Bicentennial quilt made in 2007. Oakland will be open Wednesdays from 1-4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you are scheduling a group tour, please contact us in advance.
Research help is available on Wednesdays from 1 pm - 3 pm at the Nelson Memorial Library
All inquiries for research or group tours may be sent to: info@nelsonhistorical.org
Or call (434) 263-8400 and leave a message.  
 
 
 

Holiday Open House Dec. 14 

 

The Nelson County Historical Society’s final program for this year will be a Holiday Open House on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Oakland Museum. Jimbo and Kim Cary will perform seasonal songs from Virginia and around the world. They will also play old-time dance tunes on mandolin, guitar, fiddle, and banjo in the Tavern Room from 11-Noon, 12:30-1:30 and 2-3 in the Tavern Room at Oakland.

 

Jimbo’s original songs honor local residents of the past, including George Thomas Fortune, fiddle maker from Myndus, and Walter Sprouse, an old-time banjo-picker from Albemarle County.

 

“Great Grandmas Song” honors local quilters from Nelson County. Colorful quilts from Ruth Graves of Taylors Creek and Janet Ngai of Massies Mill will be on display.

 

To express gratitude to all of our local emergency services, Kim and Jimbo will sing “The Rescue Squad Song.”

 

Along with “Christmas Time is Coming,” “Silent Night,” and other seasonal classics, the Carys will play a medley of French carols and sing a folksong from Puerto Rico.  The audience is invited to join in on gospel favorites like “Go Tell It on a Mountain” and” Children Go Where I Send Thee.”

 

Refreshments will be served and the Oakland bookstore will be open for local books, maps, note cards and special bargains throughout the day.

 

The event is free and open to the public. Oakland Museum is located at 5365 Thomas Nelson Highway in Colleen, across from Tye River Elementary School. Oakland will be closed to visitors after Dec. 14 until Spring 2025.

 

 

  

  Kim and Jimbo Cary

 

Contact Woody Greenberg 434-841-5509 or woody@nelsonhistorical.org for more information

 
 

Statue Unveiling Ceremony in YouTube

 

Incredible walking tour of Lovingston has been moved to

About Nelson County

 

The following organizations or businesses are sponsors of the Nelson County Historical Society.  We hope you will support them as they support the Society's mission.
 
Thanks to our 2024 Business Sponsors: