Historic Preservation Club

The Historic Preservation Club is one of the oldest and most active student clubs at UMW, having been founded in 1982. We are incredibly proud to work with current students, Alumni, and the Fredericksburg community in exploring the intricacies of historic preservation. Students are able to explore their interests in all aspects of preservation, including architectural history, building trades, archaeology, museum and archival studies, and urban development, through organized museum and historic site visits, skills workshops, and student-choice lectures. We also continue many traditions from our club’s past, such as this year's 42nd Annual Ghostwalk, as well as our revival of Sweetheart’s Ball, which is now entering its third year. 

Last year, donations allowed us to purchase new costumes for our Annual Ghostwalk in the fall semester. We were also able to reduce the amount club members must pay for our fall and spring trips. Our Fall trip focused on local organizations and history, and involved visiting the Patowomeck Museum and Cultural Center for a presentation on the tribe’s history and traditions, and a tour of their museum and living history displays. We also visited Ferry Farms, where we focused on the methods of recreating George Washington’s childhood home and had an inside look at their archaeology lab led by a UMW alumni. In the Spring, we took a multi-day trip through Southwestern Virginia. This included a state park ranger-led tour of Natural Bridge, individual explorations of living history at the Frontier Culture Museum and downtown Staunton’s historic architecture, as well as a guided tour of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Museum.

This year, your gift will allow us to make future trips like these financially accessible for students. This includes subsidizing costs for transportation, hotels, and meals, whenever possible, so that more students have the opportunity to visit these sorts of sites and meet the people that sustain them.

Follow us on Instagram! @umwhistoricpresclub