– News –

Crockett Springs Resort
Historical Marker Unveiling

Sunday November 5 – 2 pm
Alta Mons & Crockett Springs United Methodist Church
Crockett Springs Road, Shawsville

Join us to celebrate the placement of a Virginia Historical Marker on the former site of the resort and to learn about the history of this significant Montgomery County landmark. The event will include personal remembrances, a museum display, and refreshments. 

Crockett Springs was a prominent resort that for 50 years attracted visitors from all over Virginia and beyond. Purchased in 1889 by the Virginia Arsenic and Lithia Springs Company, it featured a large hotel, medicinal baths, and recreational activities. The Crockett Springs water, reputed to treat a variety of ailments, was bottled and distributed widely. The Roanoke District of the Methodist Church acquired the property in 1957 and established the Alta Mons retreat facility on the site.

Please consider making a donation to the museum to help cover the cost of the marker. Any amount is appreciated.

Kindergarten Day at the Museum

Meadowbrook Museum
267 Alleghany Spring Road, Shawsville

The Meadowbrook Museum welcomed 60 Eastern Montgomery kindergartners on Friday, September 29 for this annual popular event. Among other things, the children learned about the handmade quilts, rugs, and Civil War coverlet, the pump organ, and the old school desks. They especially like the toy room!

Dot King, who led the tour, demonstrated the use of the old bank vault and the antique telephone, which was like the one used in her home when she was a girl. The family’s ring was “two longs and a short.”

Tomatoes & Barbie!

Saturday August 19 – 10 am to 2 pm
Meadowbrook Community Center Courtyard
267 Alleghany Spring Road, Shawsville

The Meadowbrook Museum will have a “tomato-themed” booth at this summer’s Tomato Festival. Stop by and learn more about the rich history of Eastern Montgomery County’s tomato canning industry.

Also check out our Barbie Collection!

Did you know that the museum has an impressive collection of vintage Barbie Dolls? Army and Navy Barbies, Italian Barbie, Australian Barbie, Kenyan Barbie, Cool Times Barbie, Ice Capades Barbie … and many more!

These rare toys will be on display in the hallway outside the Meadowbrook Museum on Saturday, August 19 during Tomato Festival hours. Be sure to drop by and bring the kids.

Captain D.H. Barger, the Man Who Built Walnut Grove

Meadowbrook Public Library
267 Alleghany Spring Road, Shawsville
Saturday, August 5 – 1:00 pm

Join us for a local history presentation: “An American in Every Sense of the Word”: Captain D.H. Barger and the History of Walnut Grove. Learn about the man who built Walnut Grove, his family history, and his legacy in our community. This will be a slide presentation by his great granddaughter, Sarah Orrick, who lives in Elliston on one of the many properties he left to his descendants.

Coffee & Conversation
Every Saturday Morning

Meadowbrook Museum
Saturdays – 10 am to 12 pm

Join us for this regular Saturday morning event! Tell us about your family treasures, browse our archives, and see who’s hanging out at the museum sharing stories and viewing our collections.

Museum Celebrates Shawsville Ruritan Club’s 75th Anniversary

On Saturday, May 27, the Meadowbrook Museum and the Shawsville Ruritans held a joint celebration of the club’s 75th anniversary.  The “Ice Cream Social” was accompanied by a “Shawsville Ruritans Through the Years” display curated by the museum. The well-attended event included speeches and certificate presentations by national, state, and local Ruritan leaders.
Photos by Lauren Tate Photography

Museum Co-hosting Ruritan’s 75th Anniversary Celebration

Meadowbrook Center Community Room
Saturday May 27 – 2 pm to 4 pm

The Meadowbrook Museum is cohosting a celebration of the Shawsville Ruritan Club’s 75th anniversary. The event will feature 1940s/1950s music, a “Shawsville Ruritans Through the Years” exhibit, 1948 fun facts, remarks and a special presentation by Ruritan leaders, and last but not least free ice cream with toppings!

The Ruritans’ history is Shawsville’s history. Come celebrate this milestone event. Bring the kids! If you have any items you’d like to lend to the museum’s Ruritan memorabilia exhibit, email us at mbm@meadowbrookmuseum.org.

See you there!

Our Library/Research Room Is Open!

Meadowbrook Museum
Saturday December 17 – 10 am to 12 pm

Everyone is invited to come visit our new library/research room, browse our publications and documents, and enjoy a cup of coffee! By mid-March, we expect to have a new computer system set up to make our digital archives available to anyone curious about the history of Eastern Montgomery’s communities, families, industry, and points of interest.

In the meantime, stop by any Saturday from 10 am to noon, or email us at mbm@meadowbrookmuseum.org to make an appointment. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Museum Closed — Reopening in February with NEW Library/Research Room

Meadowbrook Museum
December – January 2023

The museum will be closed from Christmas Eve through January, but if you’d like to visit, just contact us at mbm@meadowbrook.org to make an appointment.

We’ll be preparing for the February opening of a new Library/Research Room, where visitors will be able to access our archival resources to learn more about the history of Eastern Montgomery County families and communities. More information to come.

Christmas Tea and Vintage Toy Display

Meadowbrook Museum
Saturday December 17 – 10 am to 12 pm

Continuing a tradition started last year, the museum will host a Colonial Christmas Tea/Reception during our regular hours on Saturday, December 17 from 10 to noon. Come enjoy hot beverages and cookies and a seasonal vintage toy display. Bring the kids to this family-friendly holiday celebration!