Washington's legacy is alive in Columbiana
The Birmingham News - Veronica Kennedy, News Staff Writer
July 11, 2010
Columbiana may seem an unlikely place for a museum dedicated to the father of our country, but there it is, adjacent to the public library.
Descendants of George Washington settled near Chelsea and Jemison, and when it came time to do something with items belonging to their famous relatives, Karl C. Harrison, a banker and history buff in Columbiana, was ready to take what Mount Vernon didn't want.
In 1982, the Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington opened, offering a glimpse into the life of the first president of the United States and his family.
"Mr. Harrison was fascinated with all history, said Bonnie Atchison, curator of the museum. "He loved George Washington."
The journey toward a museum happened this way: Charlotte Smith Weaver, a sixth-generation granddaughter of Martha Washington who settled in Calera, had been the keeper of many family items, ranging from documents to furniture. When she decided the time had come to share the treasures, she contacted representatives from Mount Vernon.
A team of experts paid her a visit, and bought about half her collection, including Washington's personal letters, according to Bonnie Atchison, curator of the Shelby County museum. Harrison took the rest.
About the same time in Kentucky, another Washington relative, this time from the family of Augustine Washington, the president's half-brother, decided to give Mount Vernon first dibs on historic items. The Mount Vernon experts bought about one-third of the collection, and, again, Harrison took the remainder, Atchison said.
Today, the museum boasts more than 1,000 pieces from the Washington families as well as items from the Robert E. Lee lineage (Lee was a descendent of Martha Washington).
Among the items visitors can get an up-close look at are pint ale glasses, said to be the president's favorites, a cupboard by early American furniture maker Thomas Elfe that once stood in Mount Vernon, and a set of flatware made from melted silver coins and used by the Washingtons.
A remnant of the flag that flew atop the Appomattox Courthouse when Lee surrendered is on exhibit as well.
Atchison said the museum's most prized possession is the prayer book used by Martha Washington. Printed in 1783, the book is well preserved.
In fact, all the items are well preserved; the museum is equipped with high-tech climate and light control features that protect the museum's treasures.
The Birmingham News - Veronica Kennedy, News Staff Writer
July 11, 2010
Columbiana may seem an unlikely place for a museum dedicated to the father of our country, but there it is, adjacent to the public library.
Descendants of George Washington settled near Chelsea and Jemison, and when it came time to do something with items belonging to their famous relatives, Karl C. Harrison, a banker and history buff in Columbiana, was ready to take what Mount Vernon didn't want.
In 1982, the Karl C. Harrison Museum of George Washington opened, offering a glimpse into the life of the first president of the United States and his family.
"Mr. Harrison was fascinated with all history, said Bonnie Atchison, curator of the museum. "He loved George Washington."
The journey toward a museum happened this way: Charlotte Smith Weaver, a sixth-generation granddaughter of Martha Washington who settled in Calera, had been the keeper of many family items, ranging from documents to furniture. When she decided the time had come to share the treasures, she contacted representatives from Mount Vernon.
A team of experts paid her a visit, and bought about half her collection, including Washington's personal letters, according to Bonnie Atchison, curator of the Shelby County museum. Harrison took the rest.
About the same time in Kentucky, another Washington relative, this time from the family of Augustine Washington, the president's half-brother, decided to give Mount Vernon first dibs on historic items. The Mount Vernon experts bought about one-third of the collection, and, again, Harrison took the remainder, Atchison said.
Today, the museum boasts more than 1,000 pieces from the Washington families as well as items from the Robert E. Lee lineage (Lee was a descendent of Martha Washington).
Among the items visitors can get an up-close look at are pint ale glasses, said to be the president's favorites, a cupboard by early American furniture maker Thomas Elfe that once stood in Mount Vernon, and a set of flatware made from melted silver coins and used by the Washingtons.
A remnant of the flag that flew atop the Appomattox Courthouse when Lee surrendered is on exhibit as well.
Atchison said the museum's most prized possession is the prayer book used by Martha Washington. Printed in 1783, the book is well preserved.
In fact, all the items are well preserved; the museum is equipped with high-tech climate and light control features that protect the museum's treasures.