The Fluvanna County Historical Society, founded in 1964, is a non-profit community organization whose mission is to preserve Fluvanna County’s heritage. The Society is organized exclusively for historical, educational and preservation purposes. We encourage all citizens with an interest in Fluvanna County’s rich history to join the Society and to participate in our many cultural and civic programs.
Old Stone Jail
Built in 1828, the jail was designed by John Hartwell Cocke and built by John G. Hughes and Richard McCary. There is a detailed description of how the jail was to be built in the archives at Maggie’s House.
After 1950 when the old jail was no longer used as a lock-up, a group of Fluvannians started a project to convert the jail into a museum. In 1957 Virginia Jones Snead and other dedicated workers opened the first displays to the public.
In 1963 the Old Stone Jail Museum opened permanently, filled with donations and loans of historic interest.
The Old Stone Jail building is owned by the County but is operated by the Society which owns and cares for the furnishings and artifacts.
Holland Page Place
The Holland Page Place is a post-Civil War log cabin built by John Benjamin Page. The property includes both farmland, woods and the remains of the Page Family gold mine. Mrs. Sara Holland Loving donated this property in 1998 to the Society. In 2006, the Society completely restored the cabin to 1865, in an effort to tell the story of everyday farm life in Fluvanna.
The cabin is located on Route 601 between Palmyra and Wilmington. Holland Page is owned, operated and maintained by the Society.
Maggie’s House
Maggie’s House is the home of the Fluvanna Historical Society. It is located just down the street from the Old Stone Jail. Our Archives, which consist of ledgers, photographs, journals, letters, maps, newspapers, genealogical information and many other documents, are located at Maggie’s and are available to the public for research.
Maggie’s is open on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Appointments for other days can be made by calling 434-589-7910, or by emailing a request in advance.
Historic Courthouse
In 1828, Fluvanna citizens voted to move the county Court to the Village of Palmyra from its previous location on the south side of the Rivanna River near Napier’s Ford. The Reverend Walker Timberlake, who owned the entire village, donated four acres of land for the county buildings. The courthouse was designed by General John Hartwell Cocke of Bremo. He and Walker Timberlake were awarded the contract to erect the Courthouse in 1830. Their bid was $4,999.
Today, the Courthouse is used for meetings, lectures and historical tours. It is part of the Historic Landmark District of Palmyra Court Square.
The Courthouse is owned by the County.
Farm Heritage Museum
The Fluvanna Farm Heritage Museum at Pleasant Grove Park opened to the public in 2018. This Museum is a joint project of Fluvanna County and the Fluvanna Historical Society on land donated by the county.
The Museum, which is filled with antique farm equipment from the collection of John May, as well as pieces from other Fluvanna collectors, provides an evolution of farming from 1865 through 1965.
The Museum is owned and operated by Fluvanna County under its Department of Parks and Recreation. The Fluvanna Historical Society raised over $285,000 for this Museum.