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Waynesboro Heritage Museum | 420 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, Va. 22980
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm | Admission: Free! | 540-943-3943
Welcome.
At the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation and its museums, we preserve the history of Waynesboro, Virginia and the immediate surrounding area.
Come see us.
The Museum
The Waynesboro Heritage Museum portrays the history of Waynesboro, Virginia through permanent and rotating exhibit galleries at two museums: the Waynesboro Heritage Museum in downtown Waynesboro and the early-19th century Plumb House. Permanent panels within each gallery reiterate the city’s history, from the Beverley Grant under King George II of England in 1797, early Teasville (Teesville), Basic City, Railroads, Education, Industry, “Memorable Waynesboro”: hospitality and entertainment, a postcard gallery, and exhibits on Fishburne Drug Store, Banks of Waynesboro, and Early Entrepreneurs of Waynesboro.
Current Exhibits
The Waynesboro Heritage Museum’s permanent gallery is complemented by a newly renovated rotating modular exhibit space that allows the museum to display several temporary rotating exhibits simultaneously, as well as a new “Out of the Archives” permanent exhibit space. The following exhibits are currently on display in the rotating gallery:
- “‘Flowers on the Wall’: A Tribute to Lew DeWitt and his Music,” an exhibit in collaboration with Judy Wells DeWitt, celebrating the life and musical achievements of Lew DeWitt, from the Statler Brothers through his solo career.
- “A Century of Service,” an exhibit in collaboration with the Waynesboro Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs, celebrating 100 years in 2025.
- “Out of the Archives,” a new permanent exhibit space showcasing a rotating display of fascinating artifacts and records from out of the Heritage Museum’s archives.
Plan Your Visit
The Waynesboro Heritage Museum is located in Waynesboro, Virginia, in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. (If you are looking for the Waynesboro Historical Society in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania, please click here.)
Admission
Always free! Donations welcome.
Main Museum Hours
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Wednesday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Friday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
- Sunday
- Closed
Plumb House Hours
The Plumb House is fully volunteer run, and is not staffed as often during the cold fall and winter months. Please call the museum at 540-943-3943 to make an appointment to visit.
- Monday
- Closed
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- Closed
- Thursday
- 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
- Friday
- Closed
- Saturday
- Closed
- Sunday
- Closed
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5,030
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation
Looking for the spirit of Waynesboro? You have come to the right place.
Admission is always free.
The first image (2008.0061.0015) shows employees of the Waynesboro Telephone Company which was located on the second floor of the Fishburne Drug Store. It was taken around 1915. Shown in the image are S.M. (Mac) Hupman, Manager and Myrtle Rusmiselle, Chief Operator. The other two women are unknown operators.![]()
The second image shows the telephone switchboard in 1929. It was still located above the Fishburne Drug Store. Sometime in 1929 the Clifton-Forge Telephone Company merged with the Waynesboro Telephone Company, becoming the Clifton-Forge Waynesboro Telephone Company. It is not known if this photograph was taken before or after the merger.![]()
#FromTheArchives #localhistorymuseum #localhistorymatters #waynesboroheritagemuseumva #waynesborova
The image shows the Circa 1915 crank operated telephone that is on display at the Heritage Museum. It was make by the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company and in Model 2536.![]()
According to the history of Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company at Made In Chicago Museum: "After his [Milo G. Kellogg] withdrawal from Western Electric in 1889, Mr. Kellogg devoted several years to travel but still giving much time and study to telephone development.![]()
His inventions were numerous with about 150 becoming a large part of the assets of the Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company which he founded in 1897, where he, among other things, developed a standard model multiple switchboard that enabled 9,600 lines to be hooked up, with a capacity for 24,000 lines. Mr. Kellogg became president of the corporation and retained that position until his death in 1909. The Kellogg Company was the first to supply the Independents with multiple switchboards and was first to introduce the full lamp signal board. It was regarded as one of the bulwarks of the Independents in the manufacturing end of the business, and with the exception of one incident, remained steadfastly in the independent division. It is interesting to note that in 1899, Mr. Kellogg was granted 125 telephone patents in a single day. The company prospered as one of the pioneers in the mass production of telecommunications equipment."![]()
#FromTheArchives #localhistorymuseum #localhistorymatters #waynesboroheritagemuseumva #waynesborova
A view of Waynesboro in the 1890's, looking south on Wayne Avenue from Main Street, the old Lutheran church spire is visible in the distance about center of the picture. It is believed that the second or third building from the left of picture was where Emma Culton opened her millinery shop in 1896. All the wooden buildings on that side of Wayne Avenue burned to the ground in early![]()
1910. The brick buildings in this block were built after the fi#FromTheArchivesh#localhistorymuseumu#localhistorymatterst#waynesboroheritagemuseumvae#waynesborovaorova
#FromTheArchives #localhistorymuseum #localhistorymatters #waynesboroheritagemuseumva #waynesborova This is a photograph of George C. Koiner and his wife Mary (Polly). According to notes with this photograph, Polly was a daughter of Casper Koiner. Her sister, Susan, married Dr. Samuel Godfrey Henkel in 1832.
Latest News & Events
New Exhibit: “Flowers on the Wall”
In collaboration with Judy Wells DeWitt, the Waynesboro Heritage Museum celebrates the life and music of Lew DeWitt in a new exhibit. The display showcases his time with the Statler Brothers and his solo career, and shares the relationship he built with the Waynesboro community that had adopted him. Come learn more about the man…
New Exhibit: “A Century of Service”
In 2025, the Waynesboro Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs will both celebrate their 100th anniversaries in the community. The new exhibit at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum, “A Century of Service,” celebrates this milestone for the clubs, and will be on display until early 2025. Each club, in conjunction with the Waynesboro Heritage Museum staff, provided written…
New Plumb House Hours
As we make our way out of another winter hibernation, the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is reopening the Plumb House Museum on a scheduled basis.Beginning April 11, 2024, the Plumb House will be open from 10am-1pm each Thursday. These hours will run from April through October 2024.As always, the Plumb House is also open by appointment.…
New Exhibit: “Foundations of Hope”
“Celebrating a Century of Waynesboro’s Rosenwald School and its Community”When Booker T. Washington, who had a vision to improve education facilities for rural African-American communities in the American South, joined forces with Julius Rosenwald (president of Sears, Roebuck & Co.) who was looking to find new ways to extend his philanthropic generosity, their partnership led…
New Exhibit: “Until the Cows Come Home”
“The Lost Town of Basic City and the Struggle that Built a Consolidated Waynesboro”Opening October 14, 2023, in conjunction with a renovated temporary exhibit space, is a brand new exhibit at the Waynesboro Heritage Museum that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the merger of Waynesboro and Basic City.On August 7, 1923, the townspeople from Waynesboro…
New permanent exhibit: “Out of the Archives”
Waynesboro has a deep and rich history. The Waynesboro Heritage Foundation has been fortunate over the years to have been entrusted by the community with its many artifacts, records, stories, and memories that document our city’s collective history. In fact, did you know that the Museum holds over 13,000 items? However, with limited exhibit space…