History of the Museum
Founded in 1998
The founding of the Plains District Memorial Museum began in 1998 with Timberville Mayor “Mac” McCauley’s dream to preserve local heritage and bring the communities of the Plains District together.
In 1994 after the town had approved the construction of a new swimming pool, Mac saw an opportunity to use the old pool house as a museum. He met with fellow town employees Richard Sullivan, Wilda Wine and Phyllis Strickler to consider his proposal. They agreed to support the project and launched a campaign requesting artifacts for exhibits, focusing on local businesses, politicians and civic organizations.
Among the first donations received for the proposed museum were the Timberville Bandwagon purchased by the town in 1895 from the town of New Market and stored at that time in the basement of the Rocking R Hardware, the current location of Plains District Museum; a 1950’s Fire Truck placed in retirement by the Timberville Fire Dept.; a cornerstone from the Zigler Cannery; a retired railroad repair car from the Norfolk Southern Railroad; the Timberville Quilt handmade by local residents and donated by the Farmers and Merchants Bank; and a copy of the biography of General Norman Schwarzkopf from the General himself (husband of local native Brenda Holsinger of Timberville).
A year later, after much consideration, the old pool house was deemed an unsuitable location for a museum. Mayor McCauley then requested permission from the council to use the Town Office conference room as a temporary site while plans could be made to construct a new building out back in the parking lot.
With the help of local resident, Dorothea Sanders, who developed a plan for the exhibits, the Mayor began to set up a Museum. According to Wilda Wine, one of the volunteers, minutes from the Museum’s Archives reported the following developments: in Jan 1997, the Council voted to approve a new building not to exceed $13,800 in cost to house the Museum. Construction began in June with a local contractor, Donnie Riggleman, purchasing the materials and town employees, supervised by Town Manager Tony Hinkle, providing the labor.
In October, 1998, the new Plains District Memorial Museum held its grand opening with free hotdogs and drink (a “must” for Mayor McCauley at all such events) and a ribbon cutting ceremony with Supervisor Pablo Cuevas on hand to cut the ribbon. The public was encouraged to visit the Museum anytime by picking up a key at the Town Office.
In July, 1999, Dot Sanders proposed the creation of a Board of Directors to set rules and regulations governing the rapidly increasing number of collections. By August with the addition of 2 new volunteers, Bee Hite May and Evelyn Campbell, the Museum began to operate on a regular schedule, opening on Tues and Thurs. 1-4 pm.
The Museum was incorporated in 2004 making it an independent volunteer organization. By then, it had grown and operated with 15 volunteers and over 500 visitors per year.
In 2008, the Museum moved to its present location in the newly renovated Rocking R Hardware Building on N. Main Street. Occasionally, we still have people come to the Museum looking for the Hardware Store!
The Museum features a central exhibit area with revolving themes; special exhibit areas for the country stores, home and family life, local businesses and industry, farming and poultry, military history, and local school history. The Timberville Bandwagon continues to be the most prominent artifact in the Museum, but in recent years, the creation of a Digital Library of War II Veterans who died during the War, the Charles Rife Collection of Indian Artifacts, and the Charles Lohr Collection of early local pottery have become popular exhibits.
Even the most reluctant museum- goer can find something of interest among the collections: Civil War history and artifacts (cannons, rifles, camp supplies etc.), a 1930-40’s hair permanent machine, an 1896 corn shucker, school pictures of the grandparents, and much more.
The Museum Today
The Plains District Memorial Museum is a lively small-town museum in Timberville, Virginia… filled with an impressive permanent collection and constantly revolving displays of “life-as-it was” in the Shenandoah Valley.
The museum includes exhibits of and information about:
- Community Scrapbooks
- Family History & Genealogy
- Old Time Kitchen Display
- Shop and Blacksmith Tools
- Local Railroad History
- WWII German Prisoner Camp
- Lindbergh’s Visit
- Poultry Production History
- Shenandoah Valley Farming
- Antique Home Textile Equipment
Open: Thursday to Sunday 1-4 PM
Free Admission: We are a Non-Profit Organization – Donations Welcome
Special Tours Available