Highland
Historical Society

Highland County, VA

Est. 1847

Settled ca. 1745

P.O. Box 63

McDowell, VA 24458

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A BRIEF HISTORY OF "THE MANSION HOUSE"

The structure that houses the Highland Museum and Heritage Center has been a central part of Highland County history, long before it ever became a museum.  Long known as “The Mansion House,” the museum building story begins with an old Highland County family.

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VISIT OUR NEW

MUSEUM SHOP

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THE NEW GATEWAY TO
HIGHLAND COUNTY'S HISTORY

Open the wide wooden door to the new Highland Museum and Heritage Center in McDowell, Virginia, and glimpse a piece of our colorful mountain past. More than 150 years of history that have shaped Highland County, the state of Virginia, and even the course of national history live here.

We have two areas of exhibit space, one devoted to the history of Highland County, the other to the history of the Battle of McDowell, which opened the way for Stonewall Jackson’s famous Valley Campaign and helped determine the boundary line for the new state of West Virginia in 1862. Upstairs, we have space reserved for the preservation of archival materials and special collections.

THE HIGHLAND MUSEUM AND HERITAGE CENTER

The Highland Historical Society was established in 1985 to preserve the historical heritage of Highland County and to make that heritage accessible to the public. Working to fulfill those goals, the society, supported by the Highland County Chamber of Commerce, purchased the "Mansion House" for use as a museum of local history and an orientation center for the McDowell Battlefield.

The Mansion House serves in its new role as the Highland Museum and Heritage Center.  It is host to everyone interested in preserving and learning about family and county histories and to visitors and tourists who want to understand Highland’s history and the role the county has played in war and peace.  Among the museum’s feature exhibits are the first documentary film ever made on the Battle of McDowell, the lock to the 1700s Ft. George powder house, an 1862 Highland County Confederate tax record, and many other wonderful treasures from Highland County’s rich history. 

Because of its remoteness and timeless rural character, Highland County offers visitors a unique opportunity to step back in time and experience western Virginia as it was decades, even centuries ago.  The McDowell Battlefield is considered the most pristine Civil War battlefield in the United States, allowing visitors to fully understand and experience the world of this county’s residents and the soldiers who fought here during the Civil War.

THE MANSION HOUSE RESTORATION
STILL NEEDS
YOUR SUPPORT

During 2003, The Highland Historical Society commissioned a detailed feasibility study of the Hull House, which included plans to determine the best ways to restore the house for its use as a place to display and protect historical documents and artifacts relating to Highland County, to provide office space for the Society, and to serve as an orientation center for the McDowell Battlefield.

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