Posts – Page 9 – The UncommonWealth

Alexandria’s Black Family Reunion

The Alexandria Library Local History/Special Collections branch has a national reputation concerning Virginia history. Researchers not only use this collection when conducting genealogy and Civil…

Guest ContributorJanuary 24, 2025

Archives Conservation Digital Projects

Hittin’ the Road, Virginia Untold Style

In early December, I traveled to Southwest Virginia to continue our work digitizing “Free Negro Registers” for Virginia Untold. We’ve previously written about our digitization…

Lydia NeurothJanuary 22, 2025

Archives

A Richmond City Chancery Cause and 19th Century English Opera, Part 2

Editor's Note: This blog post is part two of two. You can read the first part here. Due to financial complications arising from their usurpation…

Caroline CollinsJanuary 15, 2025

Archives Digital Projects

Winter Magic: Snow Day Photos in Yearbooks

While yearbooks might conjure up thoughts of graduation, summer, and the end of the school year - snow days are a very common topic. The…

Jessi BennettJanuary 13, 2025

Archives

A Richmond City Chancery Cause and 19th Century English Opera

While processing Richmond City chancery causes that ended between 1879 and 1881, I stumbled across a suit involving several former members of an English opera…

Caroline CollinsJanuary 8, 2025

Digital Projects Newspapers

What’s New on Virginia Chronicle

Virginia Chronicle, the Library of Virginia’s freely accessible database of historic newspapers, has surpassed the 4.5-million-page mark with new additions spanning over 250 years now…

Kelley EwingJanuary 6, 2025

Archives

Norfolk Burning

By February of 1776, the once bustling Borough of Norfolk lay in ruins. After being routed at Great Bridge in early December of 1775, Royal…

Paige NealJanuary 3, 2025

The Stacks Virginia Authors

New Books – December 2024

The Library of Virginia's first-floor lobby and Exhibition Gallery are open Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The second-floor Reading Rooms are open Tuesday-Friday, 9:00…

Donna PletcherDecember 30, 2024

Archives Digital Projects Manuscripts & Special Collections Newspapers

A Shoeshine Box of Memories

Editor's Note: This blog came about as staff members explored some of the old gift catalogs in our collection. We know that during the holiday…

Cara GriggsDecember 23, 2024

Archives Education & Programming Manuscripts & Special Collections

Those Who Surveyed the Commonwealth

"He lacked the polish and dazzle in some degree that is so captivating to mankind, and which is often mistaken for merit itself,” wrote one…

Cassandra FarrellDecember 18, 2024

Manuscripts & Special Collections

War Comes to Chatham Manor: The Battle of Fredericksburg, 1862

They say that war makes for strange bedfellows, and the Battle of Fredericksburg was no exception. In 1862, three notable Americans – Clara Barton, “Angel…

Lee Ann TimreckDecember 11, 2024

Public Libraries

Virginia Public Libraries: An Essential Community Resource

If you ask a person on the street if they value their public library, most will respond “Yes.” But while people have a general appreciation…

Barry TrottDecember 9, 2024

Archives

Newly-Available Archival Accessions, July 1-September 30, 2024

The Library of Virginia maintains the most comprehensive collection of information about Virginia’s history, culture, and government. We hold more than 200 million manuscript items,…

Trenton HizerDecember 6, 2024

Archives Conservation The Stacks

Records Room Road Trips: Fall 2024

Have I mentioned that this was going to be an unusually slow travel season for me? Yes, I have.Prior to the opening of the annual…

Eddie WoodwardDecember 4, 2024

Side view, M2A2 Light Tank, Danville, VA, circa 1937

Archives

An M2A2 of the 29th Tank Company: An Interwar Period Multi-Turreted Tank of the Virginia National Guard

I am not only a reference archivist, but also a U.S. Army veteran. I served as an M1A1 Abrams and M551 Sheridan armor crewman in…

Kenneth ForestDecember 2, 2024