Lectures

The Museum is excited for the return of our lecture series! Throughout the year historians will present engaging lectures at the museum pertaining to a variety of local history topics.

We are excited to announce a partnership with Culpeper Media Network to have the lectures recorded and made available.

Upcoming Dates

Who is Santa Claus?
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 @ 6:30 PM

Santa, Kris Kringle. St. Nick – He goes by many names, but where did he originate? Join us this month as Christine Wuebker, the Education Coordinator for the museum, explains the origins and evolution of this pop culture icon.

This program will be held at the museum. Space is limited, so get your ticket today! Admission is $5 per person, but Museum members get in FREE.

Get a Ticket!

Past Lectures

The History of Veterans Day: Honoring All Who Served
Local historian and volunteer at the Culpeper National Cemetery, Jeff Joyce, will return to the museum in November to discuss the origins and creation of Veterans Day, the lives of several Culpeper veterans who served in every war from WWI to the present, and the continuing efforts to remember our veterans.

How Culpeper (and the Country) Survived World War II: Rationing and the Home Front 1941-45
Many of us are aware that food and gasoline were rationed in the United States during World War II, but did you know that bicycles and typewriters were rationed, too? American industry shifted from consumer to wartime production for the war effort, limiting Americans’ ability to purchase appliances, automobiles, and a number of otherwise common consumer goods. Ration stamps and books were printed to ensure that goods were equitably distributed for Americans to survive, while also supplying the armed forces who were fighting on two fronts, thousands of miles away. Local collector, author, and historian Matt DiPalma will showcase a selection of his original World War II ephemera, documents, ration cards, and ration books, and explain what made rationing different in Culpeper and the U.S., compared to other nations during the war.

Lafayette: Idealist General
August is the 200th Anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to Culpeper in 1825 as a guest of the nation. Join us this month as journalist and historian Marc Leepson discusses the life of the Marquis de Lafayette and his involvement in the American Revolution. A limited number of the second edition of Leepson’s book Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General will be available for sale.

The Road to Freedom Started Here: How the leaders of Fauquier, Culpeper, and Orange quickly organized a primary fighting force that liberated Virginia from British rule and saved the Revolution
During Virginia’s struggle for independence in 1775, Virginia’s Third Convention established Sixteen Virginia Military Districts, including the Culpeper District (Counties of Orange, Culpeper, and Fauquier). Culpeper’s District quickly formed the Culpeper Regular Rifle Company and Minute Battalion in the Fall of 1775, becoming the only fully manned combined Regular Rifle Company and Minute Battalion in Virginia. Culpeper’s quick actions in Virginia’s time of need, more than any other portion of Virginia, helped liberate Virginia from British rule by 1776, thus aiding in saving the Revolution. How did they do it when other regions of Virginia could not? This presentation by local historian Jim Bish focuses on the important leadership within the Culpeper District, which defined the Culpeper District as “The First to Organize, First to Fight, and First to Win.”