Debunk Me: Presidential Tall Tales
2022-02-21 10:00 - 10:30 UTC | Online
Delve into Presidential tall tales as we sort through historic legends and folklore in this virtual program! Hear some of the most common & unusual as we battle our own tenant Parson Weems! Prepare for a fun & interesting presentation from your community museum!
Historic Dumfries Virginia, 501(c) non-profit organization operates The Weems-Botts Museum and offers free programming throughout the year!

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Down the Rabbit Hole
2022-02-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Jump down the rabbit hole with us as we read fascinating and weird short stories varying in content and subject. Purchasing a ticket provides you with links to the short stories along with Harney & Sons Pomegranate Tea sachet mailed directly to you! Join us at the end of the month to discuss and/or listen to our presentation on the authors, meanings, and neat connections we can make while journeying in the rabbit hole.
*Want to gift this? Contact us directly and we will prepare a special card to mail or give as a present!
*Members: Contact us directly to receive your discount either via email (info@historicdumfriesva.org) or over the phone (703-221-2218).

March Members First: Celebrate Spring
2022-03-20 10:00 - 10:30 | Online
Bring your recipe cards and thirst for knowledge as we discuss the history behind Spring Holidays and share recipes and ideas for your celebration!
Our Members First programs are free and for all Historic Dumfries Virginia members and prospective members! Held every other month, we welcome everyone to learn more about our non-profit organization with no membership pressure or commitment.

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group: Women's History!
2022-03-20 13:00 - 13:30 | Online
Join us as we display Violet Merchant’s photographs and records, analyzing the attitudes and stereotypes towards women in the early 1900s! Write an “I Am” poem to share and reflect on how you can celebrate women’s history!
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered throughout the year focusing on different themes each month.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Empower Me: Historic Women Authors
2022-03-26 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Receive a cup of Spice Dragon Fire Chai in the mail and join us virtually as we discuss provocative short stories written by women in the 19th century! Thrill in fascinating and chilling tales as women authors challenged sexism through ghost stories and other dramas!
*Want to gift this? Contact us directly and we will prepare a special card to mail or give as a present!
*Members: Contact us directly to receive your discount either via email (info@historicdumfriesva.org) or over the phone (703-221-2218).

Spring History Fair
2022-04-30 11:00 - 16:00 | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Celebrate local history, wildlife, community organizations, and food as we invite everyone to enjoy Merchant Park in our Spring Festival! The Virginia Bluebird Society, Master Gardeners with Audubon, local community historian Charlie Reed, and others will be in our Park with information on our area and resources. Enjoy Jeremiah’s Kansas City Style Bar B Q and prepare for a fun day with us at Historic Dumfries Virginia!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group
2022-05-07 13:00 - 14:00 | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join us in Merchant Park as you & your friends/family partake in a scavenger hunt activity featuring our gardens and herbs! Then craft a small sachet to take home with you with as you smell and guess the different scents! Tickets/RSVP required.
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered monthly with different themes and activities.

May Members First Evening Reception
2022-05-20 18:30 - 19:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join us for this unique Members First evening reception celebrating The Weems-Botts Museum opening for the season! Get your shoes ready for a walking tour of historic Dumfries hosted by Prince William County Historic Preservation and HDVI. Reception with refreshments starts at 6:30pm in the Museum Annex. Walking tour starts at 7:00pm in front of the Museum.
Free, tickets required.

Historic Towns Walking Tour: Dumfries
2022-05-20 19:00 - 20:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Our friends at PWC Historic Preservation are joining us for this neat outside walking tour of the Dumfries area! Take advantage of the cooler evening temperatures and walk the streets as we discuss the history of the surrounding region. Free!

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Banned Books
2022-05-21 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Shut the door and hide when you read our short story collection for May 2022 featuring those deemed a threat & banned! Sip on Golden Turmeric Chai Tea while you ponder why such famous historic & modern authors, like Ray Bradbury, came under fire. End the month with a virtual presentation and discussion on the sordid past of literature!
*Want to gift this? Contact us directly and we will prepare a special card to mail or give as a present!
*Members: Contact us directly to receive your discount either via email (info@historicdumfriesva.org) or over the phone (703-221-2218).

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group: Juneteenth
2022-06-18 13:00 - 15:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Celebrate the history of Juneteenth by reading & discussing the both the Emancipation Proclamation and Granger’s Proclamation! Write your own celebratory proclamation and craft a flag to take on the community’s Juneteenth parade, Sunday, 06/19/2022, at 3:00PM!
Free, tickets required.
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered every 3rd Saturday throughout the year focusing on different themes each month.

Annual Juneteenth Parade: Honoring the Fathers
2022-06-19 15:00 - 19:00 | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
There will be a jubilee!
On behalf of the Juneteenth Committee and our partner, Historidc Dumfries Virginia, you are cordially invited to the Annual Juneteenth Parade in Dumfries!
We will be walking along Cameron Street from Dumfries United Methodist Church, and ending our parade at the Dumfries Slave Cemetery where we will hold a vigil in honor of the ancestors. The march will be followed by a jubilee in Merchant Park, where we will have a program honoring the fathers! Participants will enjoy music, dancing, fellowship, celebrate freedom and have time for reflection.
What to bring:
Bring your blankets and lawn chairs for the jubilee in Merchant Park.
Wear comfortable shoes.
We will have a food truck available where you may purchase food. You may also bring your own food.
If your organization would like to march in the parade, please complete this form no later than June 5th: https://forms.gle/T2mmGAkFykAQFr7aA
What to expect:
If you are not participating as a registered organization marching in the parade, You will line Cameron Street (in front of Merchant Park) and cheer on the group entries as they walk by. You will be invited to join in as the last group, as we walk to the Dumfries Slave Cemetery where the Friends of the Dumfries Slave Cemetery will lead the public in honoring the ancestors.
Afterwords, we will have a jubilee at Merchant Park!
Parking:
Free parking will be available in the lot at Dumfries Elementary School.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: The Women of Weird Tales
2022-06-25 10:00 - 11:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Although not as well-known, women contributed scary fiction and horror to popular magazines in the 1920s and 1930s! Meet the women of Weird Tales as we read short stories featuring a host of horrific and fascinating creatures. Check your mail for a special card and fresh Blood Herbal Tea (vendor: Vana Tisanes in Cambria, California, USA) or Lady Lavendar (vendor: The Tea Spot in Boulder, Colorado) as we discuss the genre of horror and the historic women authors rocking 1920s-1930s fiction.
This special free virtual program is courtesy of Leaf & Petal, conveyors of fine tea in historic Occoquan!

Members First: Revolutionary War Evening Walk
2022-07-01 18:30 - 19:30 | Merchant Park, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Meet us in Merchant Park as we focus on the Revolutionary War in this outside walking tour of Dumfries! Learn more about the crucial role Dumfries played before & during the War and visit the sites where many key moments happened in our historic town’s past. Each participant will receive a cup of refreshing Italian ice as we hopefully enjoy the cool evening air! Free, tickets required.
Members First programs allow us to thank our incredible community and supporters and demonstrate our commitment to providing great local history!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group
2022-07-16 13:00 - 14:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join our educator as she demonstrates how to use a spinning wheel! Feel the fibers, watch her work, and practice finger knitting for an interactive Children’s Day at The Weems-Botts Museum! Learn more about historic clothing and discuss what you would have worn during the 18th and 19th centuries. Tickets/RSVP required.
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered monthly with different themes and activities.

The Weems-Botts Crafty Crafters
2022-07-23 14:00 - 15:00, 2022-09-17 14:00 - 15:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Bring your craft project to the museum for an hour of relaxation and socializing with tea! Paying tribute to the many items crafted in our collection, such as lace tatting & blankets, we invite you to create your own masterpieces, ask questions, and work on projects while we supply tea from Leaf & Petal, a shop in Historic Occoquan. Open to all crafters at all levels of experience!
Price: You decide – we thank you in advance for supporting Historic Dumfries Virginia, the non-profit 501(c)3 that operates The Weems-Botts Museum. Want to participate but unable to donate? Contact us at info@historicdumfriesva.org or 703-221-2218.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Steampunk
2022-07-30 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Open the door to this unique subgenre of Science Fiction as we discuss the origins of steampunk, reading classic and modern short stories! See how this subgenre evolved and how people embrace it through creative styles and fashions.
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Strawberry Fields Tea (vendor: The Tea Spot in Boulder, Colorado) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature and culture!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group: Archaeology
2022-08-20 10:00 - 10:30 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join our educators as we discuss past archaeological digs in Dumfries! View artifacts to help us analyze them, visit the Old Dumfries Courthouse Site (weather dependent), and “excavate” a cookie to learn about your local community history! Tickets/RSVP required.
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered monthly with different themes and activities.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Antiheroes
2022-08-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Turn your back on the wave of superheroes and meet the antiheroes of literature as we delve into short stories featuring these complex and flummoxing characters!
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Mangoberry White Tea (vendor: Heavenly Tea Leaves in Great Neck, New York) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

September Member Folklore
2022-09-10 10:00 - 10:30 | Online
Join us virtually as we read folklore stories from our collection in The Lee Lansing Research Library! Grab a cup of coffee, tea, or cider and prepare to learn about Virginia and Southern history from a folk & literary perspective!
Not a member but interested in attending? Everyone is welcome and we can discuss our low-cost memberships and other ways to support our organization at anytime – no commitment needed to enjoy local history!

Children's Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group
2022-09-17 10:00 - 10:30 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Join our educators as we discuss how the Civil War impacted the Town of Dumfries! View artifacts located in the Town and learn how resourceful people were by crafting berry ink and handkerchief dolls!
Children’s Day at the Museum Sponsored by Colonial Downs Group is a free program offered monthly with different themes and activities.

The Weems-Botts Bibliophiles: Creatures & Crooks
2022-09-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Online
Turn on your nightlight and heat up your kettle as we delve into monster literature, delving into the folkloric origins and roots of these fantastical beasts. Join us for great short stories, tea, and literature with a historic twist!
Check your mail for a special card and fresh Apple Cider Tea (vendor: Tea Sip in Houston, Texas) from Leaf & Petal as we indulge in fantastic literature!

Ghost Walks: Return to the Shadows
2022-09-30 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-09-30 21:00 - 22:00, 2022-10-01 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-10-07 19:00 - 20:00, 2022-10-07 21:00 - 22:00, 2022-10-08 19:00 - 20:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. proudly presents the Return to the Shadows Ghost Tour featuring:

Outside walking tour of the Dumfries historic area at night, including Dumfries Cemetery and the Weems-Botts Museum grounds (not inside the house)
The lore that made the Weems-Botts museum famous with new happenings and a new entity documented by our paranormal investigator
A chance to investigate Merchant Park after the tour as you decide whether the stories are true

Do you dare?
Space limited – RSVP, only 15 guests per tour. Flashlights and/or cell phones with flashlights required.
Sold out? Add your name to the waitlist as we try to accomodate all participants!
COVID-19 Prevention: Participants are encouraged to wear face coverings and should confirm they have not been exposed to anyone testing positive with COVID-19 or display any of the symptoms associated with COVID-19.
For a more intense experience, check out our Tracking the Trickster experience, which includes a two hour investigation of the Annex building (Saturdays, 11pm-1am).
Members: Please call (703-221-2218) or email (info@historicdumfriesva.org) to purchase your discounted ticket.
Special thanks to our Small Business Member and Sponsor Barbara DiMattina, Realtor, Licensed in Virginia, Century 21 Redwood Realty (https://www.c21redwood.com/barbara-dimattina)
Ghost Walks will start at the Weems-Botts Museum Annex located at 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, Virginia. The Weems-Botts Museum is owned by the Town of Dumfries and operated by Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. whose mission is to preserve and promote the history of Dumfries – Virginia’s oldest chartered town.
For more information, please call (703) 221-2218, visit www.historicdumfriesva.org, or email info@historicdumfriesva.org.

Tracking the Trickster
2022-10-01 23:00 - 2022-10-02 01:00 | The Weems-Botts Museum Annex, 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, VA, 22026, United States
Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. proudly presents the new Tracking the Trickster investigation:

Strange events are on the rise in our museum Annex building and the surrounding grounds. Join HDVI’s paranormal investigator as he searches for a mysterious shadow figure seen lurking behind the Annex – an entity we call the Doppleganger.

View our collection of allegedly haunted artifacts up close and hear the stories associated with them.

Help collect evidence of this curious entity. Guests will set up and monitor motion activated sensors and utilize audio recorders to capture electronic voice phenomena in locations that are off limits to regular visitors.

Space extremely limited – RSVP, only 3 guests per tour. Ages 18+ Flashlights and/or cell phones with flashlights required.
Sold out? Waitlist in case an opening pops up! We try to accomodate our waitlist participants.
COVID-19 Prevention: Participants are required to wear face coverings when entering any building on museum grounds. Participants should report any contact with COVID-19 positive persons and monitor their health for 2 weeks before the event.
For a less expensive and outside walking tour experience, check out our Ghost Walks: Return to the Shadows tickets, which is a walking tour of Dumfries at night with our experienced Ghost Guide.
Special thanks to our Small Business Member and Sponsor Barbara DiMattina, Realtor, Licensed in Virginia, Century 21 Redwood Realty (https://www.c21redwood.com/barbara-dimattina)
Ghost Walks will start at the Weems-Botts Museum Annex located at 3944 Cameron Street, Dumfries, Virginia. The Weems-Botts Museum is owned by the Town of Dumfries and operated by Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc. whose mission is to preserve and promote the history of Dumfries – Virginia’s oldest chartered town.
For more information, please call (703) 221-2218, visit www.historicdumfriesva.org, or email info@historicdumfriesva.org.
