Wilderness Road Regional Museum

  • About
    • Hance-Alexander Family
    • Living History
    • Wilderness Road
  • Archives
    • Research Resources
  • Education
  • Exhibits
  • Events
  • Museum Store
  • Contributions
    • Become a Member
    • Donation Form
    • Hance Ledger Fund
    • Volunteer
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

November 9, 2014 By Carolyn Mathews

Storekeeping in 19th-Century Southwest Virginia to be Featured at Museum

Caitlyn Parker, a former intern at the Wilderness Road Regional Museum, will explain the history of storekeeping in Southwest Virginia during a presentation at the museum on Saturday, November 15, 2014,  at 2 PM. Parker has completed a study of a store ledge held by the museum, and her talk will explain commerce along the Wilderness Road during the early part of the 19th century.

The 1815 Hance Store Ledger is probably the most prized of all the artifacts held by the Newbern museum because it documents purchases made at the store that was located within the structure that today houses the museum. Henry Hance’s store served travelers along the Wilderness Road, as well as residents of early Newbern.

Parker explains that Adam Hance, Newbern’s founder and the father of the storekeeper, was a frequent customer at the Hance Store throughout 1816.

“Adam Hance bought items ranging from putty, molasses, slate, and butter, to coffee, shoes, nails, and lead,” she notes. “And while this is just a sample of the goods available in Henry Hance’s store, the variety of items indicates what life and culture were like in Newbern at the beginning of the 19th century.

Parker, a history major at Radford University, did this work as part of an independent study offered by the university in partnership with the museum. She transcribed parts of the ledger, analyzing the purchasing habits and means of payment for costumers at the Hance Store.

“Ledgers allow you to make inferences about the social class, gender, and job of the customers based on their purchases,” she said.  “So doing research with ledgers can be like solving a puzzle. You are usually able to discover various connections between customers, and those discoveries can really enhance local research.”

Parker worked as an intern at the museum during the 2013-2014 school year, writing a bi-weekly column in the Southwest Times and putting together the first ever Women’s History Month exhibit at the museum.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Virginia History, Wilderness Road

Museum Information

5240 Wilderness Road
Dublin, Virginia 24084
(540) 674-4835

Hours of Operation
Wednesdays, 1:30-4:30 PM
Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM


Tours for groups can be arranged by calling during museum hours, or by using our contact form.

All donations should be sent to:
Wilderness Road Regional Museum
PO Box 373
Newbern, VA 24126

You can also sign-up for email updates by using the form below.

Museum Updates

Sign-up to receive our email newsletter (approx. 1 per month).
* = required field

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright 2013

Wilderness Road Regional Museum is Owned and Operated by the New River Historical Society

Site Developed and Managed by Digital Pure LLC