Tom Hunley's General Store
May Faire 2025, a newly expanded heritage festival, “A Rural Life: Country Stores, Post Offices and Wharfs,” May 2 and 3, 2025
This year’s festival will focus on the places where people gathered and worked. We will go back in time via photos and stories, uncovering memories of life in Mathews when general stores, post offices and wharf activities were essential to a way of life and commerce in the county.
The Museum’s mission is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage and history of Mathews County and to provide relevant displays, collections and educational and experiential programs for the public. Now entering its 10th year, the Museum is an integral part of the economic fiber of the community and provides various educational programs and events throughout the year. All proceeds from May Faire--the Museum’s major annual fundraising event-- go to support these
programs. And thus, at May Faire each year, in addition to the traditional outside activities such as the May Pole dance, the vendors and the children’s activities, we seek to provide educational opportunities for residents and visitors, such as lectures and displays at our museum, and at our Historic Court House where events are filmed and posted on our county’s website.
Our most current and permanent exhibit, the Tom Hunley Store, is an exact “mini” model of general stores of yesteryear. We anticipate now that we have a two-day event, we will be able to offer additional exhibits, programs and activities, and we invite you to be a part of the festivities! We hope that you will be able to join us.
The Museum’s mission is to preserve and promote the cultural heritage and history of Mathews County and to provide relevant displays, collections and educational and experiential programs for the public. Now entering its 10th year, the Museum is an integral part of the economic fiber of the community and provides various educational programs and events throughout the year. All proceeds from May Faire--the Museum’s major annual fundraising event-- go to support these
programs. And thus, at May Faire each year, in addition to the traditional outside activities such as the May Pole dance, the vendors and the children’s activities, we seek to provide educational opportunities for residents and visitors, such as lectures and displays at our museum, and at our Historic Court House where events are filmed and posted on our county’s website.
Our most current and permanent exhibit, the Tom Hunley Store, is an exact “mini” model of general stores of yesteryear. We anticipate now that we have a two-day event, we will be able to offer additional exhibits, programs and activities, and we invite you to be a part of the festivities! We hope that you will be able to join us.
The Mathews Museum
Mathews County will soon welcome the addition of the Mathews Historical Museum (MHM), the newest partner in the rich network of historical sites that invite visitors, residents, students, researchers and history buffs to our community. The county’s cultural history is a story that is continuing to be uncovered from its early beginnings to today through the establishment of the Mathews Historical Museum.
Our Vision
Within five years, there will be a permanent museum in Mathews County that will collect, preserve and exhibit cultural artifacts that represent the history of the county. Through exhibits and programs, residents and visitors will be able to gain an understanding and appreciation of the county’s past and present and begin to contemplate the future of the county and its people.
Our New Building
The museum has acquired a permanent home on Main Street in Mathews. This historical building was constructed in 1936 by George Philpotts as a Texaco garage. Over the years a number of business have been located at this site – bowling alley, beauty parlor, Bassett Furniture, the Craftsman Shop and most recently the Dilly Dally Emporium. The first steps will be to completely rehab the building so it can be used as a museum. Then museum exhibits will be planned, installed and finally opened to the public.