The Luray Valley Museum collection concentrates on the Shenandoah Valley. This unique collection ranges from pre-contact Native American history, First Frontier settlement, Colonial Iron Industry, Decorative Arts, Civil War and other subjects up to 1920.
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Col. Andrew Keyser 1770s leather breeches Italian glass trade beads found near Leedstown, Virginia Archaic Native American stone vessel found near Swift Run Gap, Virginia Pages of the Strickler family Bible printed in Zurich, Switzerland in 1536. The Strickler family were some of the first settlers in the region in the early 1700s Early 1900s Christmas Belsnickle masks. Belsnickling was a tradition with German roots in Page County until the 1950s Brainerd and Armstrong Company general store thread spool display Whimsy bottle crafted in jail in the 1920s by a local man imprisoned for violent behavior fueled by alcoholism Detail of pie safe from Augusta County Battle tree from Sharpsburg battlefield, from the Peach Orchard Life size hand carved and painted wooden horse once used to display tack in a store in the late 1800s Silver inlay detail on a long rifle attributed to Daniel Marker Detail of 1795 long rifle attributed to master gunsmith Henry Spitzer 1830s Winchester, Virginia portrait attributed to Susannah Flaunteroy Quarles Nicholson Cast iron entrance sign for Columbia Furnace, V irginiaPatented Civil War camp shower found on the Spotsylvania battlefield Early 1800s Virginia freight wagon from Newtown, V irginiaOne of several printing presses from the Henkel Press in New Market, Virginia Frock and vest from the Modisett famil yGerman Alphabet practice, Shenandoah County Earthenware pot from the Middle Woodland period, found in Page County Native American Late Woodland stone axes found locally Clock face detail from tall case clock made by local clockmaker Thomas Nawman in the 1780s Late 1600s silver buckles in original metal case brought from Germany by one of the area’s first settlers, Phillip Lung Mid 1700s “Elijah and the Ravens” stove plate, Pennsylvania 1768 stove plate with Wedding Scene motif cast in Malboro Furnace, near Winchester, Virginia Detail of circa 1810 stove cast at local Isabella Furnace Mid 1700s stove plate with “Three Hares” motif cast in Malboro Furnace, near Winchester, Virginia Tintype of David Hite, one of four local brothers fighting in the Confederate Army. Three died, including David whose body was never recovered from the Third Winchester battlefield Tintype of William Hite, 1st Lieut. 33rd VA Infantry. William died of complications from injuries sustained at the Battle of First Mannassas. The Hite brothers left extensive correspondence on their Civil War experience Tintype of Isaac Hite, staff rider for General Robert E. Lee. He was the sole survivor of his three brothers 1823 print by Henkel Press, New Market, Virginia Circa 1800 chest painted by Johannes Spitler Circa 1800 chest attributed to Johannes Spitler or Jacob Strickler Circa 1800 painted chest attributed to Johannes Spitler Circa 1800 chest painted by Johannes Spitler Pre Civil War photo of African American woman and child holding a book. Found in nearby Sperryville, Virginia Multiglaze wall pocket produced by Jacob Eberly Detail of fraktur for the birth of Solomon Rothgeb, painted by Jacob Strickler in 1809 Early 1800s fraktur in German by Peter Bernhardt Pre Civil War image of unidentified African American woman found in Rockingham County. Opening page of a 1536 Bible printed in Zurich by Christopher Froschauer, illustrated by Hans Holbein, the Younger. This Bible was brought to America by the local Strickler family in the early 1700s. David Crocket’s autograph, May 1834 1813 fraktur in English by Peter Bernhardt 1881 dog-powered butter churn 1855 Page County quilt in background Confederate officers frock of Col. John Francis Neff, killed at the battle of 1st Manassas Six gallon crock made by potter W. H. Lehew in Strasburg, Virginia Crock painted with “Indian necklace” design made by potter W. H. Lehew in Strasburg, Virginia Late 1800s toy carriage Toy rabbit and coin banks late 1800sMagic lantern, slides and German porcelain doll Late 1800s porcelain boy doll 1840 painting of Jefferson’s Rock in Harpers Ferry by Ferdinand Reichardt