This acclaimed exhibit explores the 300 year history of King and Queen County, using artifacts donated or loaned by county citizens. It is divided into three sections, entitled LIFE, LIBERTY, and THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, each consisting of three large panels of artifacts and photographs with text to tell the stories! This exhibit is located on the Ground Floor and the First Floor Parlor of the Museum. There is a Touch-Screen introduction to each section of this exhibit.
The LIFE section focuses on how people in what is now King and Queen County made a living, beginning with the tools used for hunting by the earliest Indians. Tools used in agriculture, timber, and by oystermen are displayed. Pictures portraying harvesting, transportation and packaging of products are also included.
The LIBERTY section features county participation in wars from the American Revolution to World War II and in various rights movements. Artifacts include military equipment used in the wars, metals for heroic service, and articles required by civilians during wartime. Pictures of soldiers in uniform are displayed. The rights of Black citizens to be able to vote is explored, as well as the continuation of other movements for expanding rights, such as women’s suffrage and recognition of Indian rights.
The PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS section covers building community, including government, schools, and churches. The exhibit also tracks home life in rural King and Queen County. Early Indian communities and colonial settlements are covered through maps, plats, and drawings. The emergence of various religious denominations and the establishment of segregated schools are portrayed. Examples of home life and attention to health over various periods are provided. The evolution of government and its facilities are described.