Resiliency and Liberty: Virginia Historical Society's "Virginians at Work":

At an address to the Hoover Institution in 1991, ex-British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher delivered a speech praising the remarkable paradigm that America has been built upon. As the baroness stated, “No other nation has been created so swiftly and successfully. No other nation has been built upon an idea—the idea of liberty.”1

Though liberty is the heart of America, the success of the United States can hardly be attributed to such ideology. The pulse of the country lies within its people. Resiliency in the face of hardship is as common a theme in American society today as it was in 1776. The Virginia Historical Society’s exhibition “Virginians at Work” pays special tribute to not only that resiliency, but also the people of Virginia who made America what it is today. Despite several gaps in the museum display, “Virginians at Work” delineation of Virginia’s economic progression serves as an inspiring model for visitors of what made America great – the resiliency of its people.

Located in a quiet corner of the Virginia Historical Society, “Virginians at Work” has a clearly defined beginning denoted by a large sign adorned with a photo collage of rugged-looking workers. A brief description of the exhibition complements the inviting entrance, telling visitors “What Virginians do to make a living has changed drastically through time”.2 This panel is one of the most crucial elements of the exhibition for two reasons. First, it provides structure for the audience by foreshadowing the chronological progression that the exhibition takes. Second, it prompts questions in the visitor, including “What types of work did Virginians execute?”, “Why did they do the type of work they did?”, and “How have that industries of Virginia’s past shaped what I do today?“. Chiefly though, the exhibition’s purpose is aimed to answer how Virginian workers have exemplified and contribute to the values that root America today.

As visitors enter the exhibit, it quickly becomes apparent that the display is split into four distinct chronological movements: agriculture, commercial, industrial, and service. The first section, an agriculture economy (1607 – 1790), boasts an array of antique wood and iron work from this time. Though Virginia’s colonial economy was based heavily on tobacco, the artifacts and placards stress the importance of blacksmiths and woodworkers during this time. In particular, one sign states “Iron [working] was virtually the only significant industry in colonial Virginia”.3 Despite this time period’s agricultural characterization, one is reminded throughout the exhibition that agriculture has and continues to play a key role in the Virginian economy. As the introduction sign states, “Initially, almost all Virginians worked the land. Now, only a few do, but output is greater than ever, and agricultural products are still Virginia's leading ‘industry’ in terms of value of sales.”

Due to poor land management, the agricultural economy quickly deteriorated between the American Revolution and Civil War, leading many to turn to a commercial economy (1790 – 1865). The exhibition seamlessly highlights the important transition from a labor-intensive agricultural economy to a mechanized commercial economy through the story of Cyrus Hall McCormick of Rockbridge County. In 1831, McCormick was able to create a mechanized reaper that could harvest grains six times faster than by hand, thus foreshadowing the dominance mechanization would take in the coming centuries over the state’s agricultural roots. Despite this smooth transition, the artifacts supporting the commercial economy are scant and uninspiring. The effect of the Civil War on the economy is virtually absent and visitors do not get a sense of the importance of this mechanized revolution.

Rounding the upper horn of the “P”, one quickly sees the lasting effect an industrial economy (1865 – 1945) had on the Virginia we see today. The release of slaves after the Civil War and rise of machinery led to an amalgamation of businesses to quickly expand, including printers, newspapers, and tobacco product manufacturers. The artifacts in this section engage the audience not only for the way they approach the viewer’s sense of novelty but by manifesting important
historic social movements. For example, a large stagecoach belonging to the African American owned A.D. Price Funeral Home stands proudly to denote the emergence of African American commerce in Virginia. This cue and others are testament to both Virginia’s severe economic progression, and the determination of Virginians to adapt to such economic conditions.

Unfortunately, as one approaches the vertex of the “P”, there is no way to tell when the industrial economy ends and the service economy (1945 – present) begins. This move was probably executed to underline the lingering effects that industry had on Virginia’s current economy. Heading back down the long end of the “P” towards the beginning of the exhibit, one can see random artifacts that characterize the service economy period. Yet, there is little description or continuity between the pieces. Passing the entrance on the left again, visitors have a chance to look back at the agricultural economy at the beginning of the exhibition. This opportunity, along with the curator’s decision to continually stress the importance of agriculture, imparts a feeling of nostalgia in the audience for a simpler time when the land and economy were fertile.

Finally, after passing a few lingering artifacts from the service economy at the base of the “P”, the exhibition abruptly stops. No “thank you for visiting” sign is hung or wrap-up video presented. In one respect, this abrupt end is confusing as the exhibition compiled plenty of evidence on Virginia’s economic adaptability, but provided no statement to tie it all together. In another respect, the halt is an attempt to make the visitor part of the exhibition. The display is meant to serve as a model to inspire visitors to perpetuate their predecessors’ resiliency.

Overall, “Virginians at Work” is an engaging exhibition that both common audience members and scholars can find valuable. Though the flow of the display and supporting artifacts are spotty at times, the historical society makes a distinct argument in favor of resiliency, rather than liberty, as the driving force behind American success.


1. Margaret Thatcher, “Speech at Hoover Institution Luncheon” (speech presented at Hoover Institution Luncheon, Washington, D.C., March 8, 1991).
2. “Virginians at Work”. Virginia Historical Society. 428 N. Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220. Feb. 1, 2012.
3. Ibid.