Newly-Available Archival Accessions, October 1-December 31, 2024

The Library of Virginia maintains the most comprehensive collection of information about Virginia’s history, culture, and government. We hold more than 200 million manuscript items, digital images, and records in our archives that tell countless stories of Virginians and our collective past. In addition to state and local government records, LVA has an unparalleled collection of private papers that includes records of businesses, organizations, churches, and individuals. These archival collections continue to grow, and archivists are constantly acquiring and processing records to make them accessible to the public. Four times a year, we publish reports of newly accessioned records. The reports can be found by visiting LVA’s News & Press Center.

Here are a couple of highlights from our most recent accessioned collections:

Articles of Agreement, December 15, 1804, between Colonel Charles Broadwater (1719-1806) and George Huguley (both of Fairfax County, Virginia) to farm “the Redhouse” lot owned by Broadwater. Broadwater agrees to supply three enslaved people, two horses, three barrels of corn for each of the enslaved, and six barrels of corn for the horses. Huguley agrees to supply two enslaved people and two horses, to live on the lot and manage the enslaved people and horses, to grow the crops, and to treat the enslaved persons in a “humane manner.”  Purchased.

Records, 1937-2015, of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House located in Fairfax County, Virginia, containing articles, blueprints, correspondence, drawings, interviews, photographs, press releases, reports, slides, and other records documenting the construction and preservation of the house designed by Wright (1867-1959). Also contains the research materials of Steven M. Reiss, author of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Pope-Leighey House. Gift of Steven M. Reiss, Irvington, in honor of his parents Rose and Jack Reiss.

Letters, 1943-1945, between Thomas Aaron Lindsey (1921-2016) and his future wife, Edith Gordon (1925-2011), while Lindsey was in the service during World War II and Gordon was a student at Maury High School in Norfolk, and a freshman at the Richmond Professional Institute. Lindsey writes about his life as a sailor onboard the ship, including being a part of the ship’s newspaper, an altercation with a few men on board, a last letter from his father who died suddenly in 1945, and his reaction and celebrations onboard the ship on V-E Day (May 8, 1945) and V-J Day (August 15, 1945). Gordon sends pictures of new hairstyles and outfits, updates on her high school graduation, and describes wanting to leave college so that they could start saving money for their future.  Lindsey had many endearing pet-names for Gordon that he would address his letters to, including, “Darling Babes,” “Doll,” “Eggles,” “Dumpling,” “Angel,” “Cockeyball,” “Nut,” “Peaches,” “Tootsie Roll,” “Bay-bee,” “Sugar,” “Tomato,” “Dope,” “Glamor-puss,” “Ho-Hum,” and “Lamb.” The last letter in this collection was written a few days before their wedding on November 22, 1945.