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History of Charlotte County APVA

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Charlotte County APVA started from it's organizational meeting at Gravel Hill in April of 1928 to the present.  Charlotte County APVA has contributed to the preservation of local history by means of publications, monuments, markers, collecting portraits, and building a small museum.  Through the efforts of the Charlotte County APVA, residents have access to written monographs on many phases of local history.

The state-wide Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities came into existence in 1889 as the result of a movement to save Jamestown Island.  Erosion by waters of the James River was removing property long associated with the Jamestown settlement of 1607.  If the process was allowed to continue unchecked, historians foresaw the complete disappearance of the island and of the site of America's first permanent settlement.  A seawall stopped the damaging currents and saved Jamestown.  Recent excavations have uncovered much of the original 1607 fort - long thought to have been lost to erosion.  Without APVA's actions over a century ago many of the historic artifacts would be lost.

Before Colonial Williamsburg's formation in 1926 preservation efforts in Virginia focused on the homes of the famous - Washington, Jefferson and Lee.  Residents of Charlotte knew that homes associated with the county's most famous residents had burned Patrick Henry's Red Hill and John Randolph's Roanoke were gone.  Williamsburg redirected preservation toward homes of craftsmen, teachers, and millers, and Charlotte County Retained a treasure of such structures.  The realization that Charlotte had something worthy of preservation ignited a spark of interest.  From the excitement of the rebirth of Williamsburg in its colonial motif the Charlotte County Branch APVA was conceived.

They brought together friends and associates who shared their interest in history.  A small group of citizens met at Gravel Hill on April 21, 1928, and formed the Charlotte County APVA.  They  elected a slate of officers and drew up a membership committee.  By December of that year they enrolled seventy-five APVA members.

The founding members of Charlotte County APVA knew the county was rich in history.  These resources included undisturbed historic sites, many surviving structures, and important family archives.  Placement of highway historical markers became one of their first goals.  They also urged people to write down family records and events for posterity.  When the first annual meeting was held in Charlotte Court House on December 6 of 1928. Judge Hutcheson inaugurated the custom of presenting a paper on county history with a bountiful meal. 

From the beginning meeting, Charlotte APVA sought to preserve the history of Charlotte County.  They also selected meeting sites which would highlight surviving historic structures.  Through the years, the annual meetings have been held at more than 50 locations,

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1928 Charlotte Court House                            

1929 Cub Creek Church                                   1977 South Isle

1930 Drakes Branch                                         1978 The Courthouse

1931 Rough Creek Church                               1979 Pineland

1932 Greenfield                                                1980 Maple Roads

1933 Charlotte Court House                             1981 Ingleside

1934 location unknown                                    1982 The Vaden House

1937 Location Unknown                                  1983 The Hancock-Petty House

1941 Charlotte Court House                             1984 Twelve Oaks

1942 (executive meeting only)                         1985 Mulberry Hill

1944 (executive meeting only)                         1986 Fair Oaks

1945 Mulberry Hill                                           1987 Black Walnut

1946 Arcadia                                                     1988 Grace Church

1947 Staunton Hill                                            1989 Greenfield

1948 (no meeting)                                             1990 Dunlieth (Scott House)

1949 Ville View                                                1991 Oak Hill

1950 Oakland                                                    1992 Gravel Hill

1951 Ridgeway                                                 1993 High Hill

1952 Moldavia                                                  1994 Staunton Hill

1953 Roanoke Plantation                                  1995 County Library

1954 Mulberry Hill                                           1996 Woodland

1955 Briery Church                                          1997 The Gilliam-Harding House

1956 Woodfork                                                 1998 Ivy Hill (Jackson House)

1957 (a house tour)                                           1999 Sylvan Hill

1958 Red Hill                                                    2000 Village Church

1959 The Courthouse                                        2001 Ingleside

1960 Maple Roads                                            2002 Maple Roads

1961 Wynyard                                                   2003 Bonis Est

1962 APVA Museum                                        2004 Ridgeway

1963 APVA Museum                                        2005 Wildwood

1964 Prestwould                                               2006 Charlotte Courthouse

1965 Arcadia                                                     2007 Briery Presbyterian Church

1966 Do Well                                                    2008 Home of Don & Bonnie Hoffman

1967 Gravel Hill                                               2009 Woodfork

1968 APVA Museum & Tankersley                 2010 Berry Hill

1969 Greenfield                                                2011 Annefield(Spring) Westview(Fall)

1970 Golden Hills                                             2012 Tucker Brother's Store - Dickerson Homeplace

1971 Ville View                                                2013 Maple Roads

1972 Village Church                                         2014 Charlotte Courthouse

1973 Reps Barnes House                                  2015 Shadow Lawn (Chase City)

1974 Ridgeway                                                 2016 Noland Village (Providence)

1975 Wyllie House                                           2017 Green cove

1976 Mulberry Hill                                          2018 Historic Jefferson Courthouse                                 

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Most of the meeting sites still survive and are cherished by the owners and families related to former residents.  Charlotte APVA has promoted preservatation by highlighting these structures.  Such recognition makes people aware of the the value of preservation.

Over the years many individulas have served as Director of the Charlotte County APVA.  The complete list is seen below

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Judge Robert Francis Hutcheson, Jr               1928-1940 1/

Judge R. Page Morton                                    1941-1943

Mrs. Nellie McPhail Barksdale                      1944-1946

Honorable David K.E. Bruce                         1947-1948

Honorable John Hannah Daniel                     1949           2/

Mr. H. B. Chermside, Sr.                                1949

Major John D. Guthrie                                   1950

Mr. Joel H. Watkins                                        1951-1952

Mrs. Isabel R. Watkins                                   1952           3/

Mrs. Margaret Smith Watkins                        1953-1954  4/

Mr. Lee W. Morton, Jr                                    1954

Mr. David Quinn Eggleston                           1955-1958

Mrs. Isabel R. Watkins                                   1959-1960

Mrs. Eloise B. Daniel                                     1961-1962

Mrs. William P. Ingram                                  1963-1964

Mr. Thomas R. Watkins, Sr.                           1965-1966

Mrs. Margaret Russell Eggleston                   1967-1968

Mr. Henry W. Hoffman                                  1969-1970

Mrs. Zillah Hailey Shafer                              1971-1972

Mr. W. Burdett Ramsey                                 1973-1974

Mrs. Annie C. Roberston                               1975-1976

Mrs. Gene Hile McKinney                            1977-1978

Mr. O. Bret Peaden                                        1979-1980

Mr. Gerald Tate Gilliam                                1981-1984

Mrs. Frances S. Ramsey                                1985-1986

Mr. Gerald Tate Gilliam                                1987-1988

Mrs. Betty R. Petty                                        1989-1992

Mrs. Claudia S. Bates                                    1993-1994

Mr. Daryl Keeling                                         1995-1996

Mrs. Lucille B. Purcell                                  1997-2000

Mrs. Claudia S. Bates                                    2001-2002

Mrs. Kaye B. Lucado                                    2003-2011

Mrs. Cora V. St. John                                    2012-Present

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1/ Judge Hutcheson served as director until his death in 1940.

2/ Mr. Daniel, elected in 1949, was unable to serve and Mr. Chermside filled the post-until and election was held.

3/ Mrs. Watkins completed the unexpired term of her deceased husband.

4/ Mr. Morton completed the term when Mrs. Watkins was unable to complete her term.

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