Virginia 250 Passport: Exploring History Sites of Virginia That Made America. Part 1

Today, I explored several historical sites in Virginia that helped shape the story of America. My main stop was the Virginia Museum of History and Culture in Richmond, where I visited their limited-time exhibition Give Me Liberty.

The exhibition was excellent, featuring a blend of original artifacts and period-accurate reproductions. It walks visitors through the major issues of the era and highlights the actions Virginians took in response. The most important insight I took away was the distinction the Founding Fathers made between liberty and freedom. To them, liberty was a God-given, inherent right, while freedom was a privilege granted by the government and therefore subject to revocation.

The exhibition also underscores that, at the time, the phrase “all men are created equal” was understood to apply only to white men. Native Americans, enslaved people, and women were excluded from these rights and protections.

Although it’s not part of the Virginia 250 Passport, I made a quick stop on my way to the museum at the Halfway House Restaurant. Built in 1760 as a horse-change and rest stop along the Petersburg Stagecoach Route, it has hosted its share of notable historical figures.

In 1781, the Halfway House served as the temporary headquarters for the Marquis de Lafayette. In the photo below, you can read the blue-and-yellow historical marker describing the hero of the Revolution who warned Lafayette of a plot to capture him.

 

Resources:

• The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

• Parking is $5.00 for the first four hours.

• Museum admission requires a ticket; current rates are listed on their website. (Note: the rate during my visit differed from the posted price.)

• The café and gift shop are accessible without an admission ticket.

• Virginia 250 Passports are available at the admissions desk, and staff will stamp your passport upon request.

  Now It's Your Turn-
  
  
  Leave a comment if you have visited each place I visited as I explore the historical sites of Virginia that made America.