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Colonial Beach Historical Society Newsletter | Fall 2024, Issue No. 3



“A Whitestone Christmas”

In honor of Betty Whitestone our longest serving volunteer, The Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum will be hosting the 22ndAnnual Holiday Home Tours in Colonial Beach. Touring some beautiful homes in Colonial Beach, tours start at the Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum at 128 Hawthorne Street.


Tickets can be purchased online (https://www.cbhistoryandmuseum.org/) or at the Museum for Saturday and Sunday tours and for the Holiday Reception closing our weekend.


December 14

Session 1 - 2:00 – 4:00 pm Golf Cart & Trolley

Session 2 - 5:00 – 7:00 pm Golf Cart & Trolley


December 15th: 2:00 – 4:00pm Golf Cart / Car


December 15th: 6:00pm Holiday Reception (location TBD)


Tickets:

Golfcart & Car: $30.00 per person

Trolley: $35.00 per person


Holiday Reception: $100.00 per person


All funds received will be used again for Colonial Beach Student Scholarships and the upkeep to our Museum. We need to do some upkeep to our building along with purchasing of equipment to save and archive our Colonial Beach History.

Celebrate the Holidays with us!!


 

We’re at the end of the 2023/2024 season is coming to a close but it doesn’t mean the end of our upcoming events and members are the way we have the volunteers and funding to keep moving forward. If you are a renewing member or a new member we appreciate your support.

CBHS is proud to be able to continue to offer one of our town’s cultural resources, where visitors and residents alike can learn about local history. Schoolchildren can get an understanding of how things ‘used to be’ and gain pride in their town as a special place to grow up. Long-term residents can share their memories and reminisce. Everyone can enjoy the exhibits, several of which are new for this season.

Members make all this happen!


By choosing to support us with your NEW or RENWAL membership in the Colonial Beach Historical Society, you will be making a meaningful contribution to promoting and preserving the cultural and historic heritage of Colonial Beach.


We invite you to go to our NEW website colonialbeachhistoryandmuseum.org click on the Support Us tab and select become a member – a suggested donations are suggested donation for new and renewal membership.


Your membership entitles you to a 10% discount in the Museum shop as well as on all ticketed events sponsored by the Museum. Additionally, your membership is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law, as the Museum at Colonial Beach is a qualified 501(c)(3) organization.

Again, many thanks for your generous support!


 

Have you seen the website for the Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum yet?? Check it out - www.cbhistoryandmuseum.org


Our newly launched website will allow us to communicate with our membership and the public.We are now able to accept membership dues and donations online using your preferredpayment method -credit card, PayPal, Venmo, etc.Checks are of course still accepted via mail in.


Please watch and enjoy our newest venture.Newsletters, articles, news updates will be posted on the site and we invite your comments, suggestions, or questions.


Ifyou have any questions or need assistance you can email us at -

cbhsmuseum@gmail.com or contact Jeanette at 703-447-7924.

Enjoy!


 

CBHS Building Upgrade Fundraising Drive

The Colonial Beach Historical Society was formed in 1998 to preserve and promote the town's rich history. To that end, a dedicated group of local residents reached out to the town government to lease the property at 128 Hawthorn Street, which had fallen into disrepair. The building, constructed in 1862, had housed a number of businesses over the years.


Considerable preservation and renovations were needed. That work was completed the following year, and the building was opened to the public in July of 1999. The Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum is dedicated to the preservation of Colonial Beach history as well as local Potomac River history.


Now, in 2024, significant repairs are needed to ensure that the building will continue to be a secure place for the collections that are housed at the Museum.


Items that are needed:

The building foundation needs to be insulated and enclosed to protect the HVAC ductwork which has been damaged by animal activity in the crawlspace. The attic space also needs insulating. The lack of insulation and damage to the HVAC infrastructure leads to lack of sufficient heat and cooling that is critical to maintaining the exhibits and the building itself.


The Museum building has not been painted since 1999 and badly needs a fresh coat of paint on the exterior as well repair of woodwork.


The front porch on the building also needs to be adjusted for runoff of rain and snow that collects and causes damage to the wood in this area. Temporary fixes have been made, but a permanent solution is required.


Contributions to these immediate actions would be appreciated. The Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum is registered as a 501©3 non-profit organization and your donations are tax deductible.


Please join us by pledging today to maintain and protect this important piece of Colonial Beach history.

Many thanks for your support!


 

The Historical Society and Museum hosted a group of Colonial Beach elementary students on Museum tour during the summer 2024 break. Kids enjoyed the visit and asked a lot of questions. Plans are underway to expand this collaboration throughout the year.


 


President’s Report

Mitzi Saffos, President Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum


With the summer season ending, we are busy making plans for next season’s exhibits and events. The Colonial Beach Historical Society and Museum board has increased its numbers and we are meeting monthly to plan for next year’s spring opening.


Planning includes an update to our Native American exhibit in the main gallery as well as new exhibits in the front and middle galleries.


We are also working on new initiatives to bring the community in touch with our town’s rich history. To this end, we are working on a series of short lectures on the history of our town to be presented to the public in various venues around the community.


We welcomed new board members Barbara Anthony, who retired from her decades long career at the Dahlgren naval base last year, Betty Moyler, owner of OutFront Design, LLC, Deborah Newman, owner of Petite Taway, Dr. Caryn Self Sullivan, owner of Beach Paws Boutique and Ask Dr. Caryn, Kelly Woods Vaughn, Owner of The Riverview Inn, and Scott Lindsey, Owner of Magnolia Hall and CBVA Rentals.


We would be remiss if we didn’t recognize board member Barbara Anthony’s role in the lecture series that she named ‘A Moment in History.’ A native of Colonial Beach and a lover of history, she brought this initiative to the board and we voted unanimously to proceed, with Barbara at the helm. The plan was to limit the lectures to three to five minutes, and we had hoped to have Barbara present the initial lecture at a Town Council meeting this fall.


As many of you in our community may know, Barbara passed away recently. Her passing has left a huge void in our community and in the hearts of all who knew her. Our board is committed to honoring Barbara’s commitment to, and love for, the town of Colonial Beach and its history. We are proud to announce that our upcoming lecture series, A Moment in History, is dedicated to Barbara Fisher Anthony.

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