Southern States of America Study Tour, October 2024

As members may be aware, a tour of the Southern States of America is planned for October 2024, studying the regional furniture, houses and social context of early settlers, later migrants, farmers and tradespeople, plantation owners and slaves during the 18th and 19th centuries.

We will be guided by Dan Ackerman, Chief Curator and Director of Research at MESDA and RFS American Secretary, whose specialist knowledge in this area is based on many years of academic research and fieldwork.

The tour will be over 11 days from Monday 14 October to Thursday 24 October, with flights to and from Charlotte International airport, and starting at MESDA (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts) and Old Salem Museum in North Carolina, heading north to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, then east to Colonial Williamsburg and from there south down the coast to Charleston, South Carolina, before returning to MESDA. The tour dates are such that if any of us wanted to stay on for the biennial MESDA furniture seminar, which will be on Friday 25 to Saturday 26 October, it would be simple to do so.

The provisional itinerary is attached below.

We provisionally estimate the cost at £2,500 per person, including flights, accommodation (based on 2 people per room), admissions and insurance etc, but not including lunches and dinners, which will be paid for as we go.

If you are interested in joining the tour, please email events.RFS@gmail.com by 15 September 2023. Those members who have already been in touch about the tour need not respond to this call: you are already on the list.

David Dewing, tour organiser

Provisional Itinerary

Flights from UK to Charlotte International airport, arriving Monday October 14 Tour over 11 days (10 nights) Depart Charlotte International Airport, Thursday October 24
Option to stay Friday and Saturday 25-26 for the biennial MESDA Furniture Seminar

Day 1: Monday October 14

Transfer from Charlotte to MESDA and Old Salem Museums, North Carolina, 84 miles
Welcome, introduction and first supper
Stay 2 nights MESDA, Monday and Tuesday

Period Room at MESDA (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts)

Day 2: Tuesday October 15

MESDA and Old Salem Museums, sites and collections
Research and Conservation facilities

Day 3: Wednesday October 16

Travel from MESDA to Harrisonburg, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, 215 miles Frontier Culture Museum (Staunton, Virginia)
Stay 2 nights, Harrisonburg, Wednesday and Thursday

Day 4: Thursday, October 17

Shenandoah Valley Collections
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
Two Winchester-area private collections Jeff and Beverley Evans Collection (Dinner)

Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton, Shenandoah Valley, Virginia

Day 5: Friday, October 18

Travel from Harrisonburg to Williamsburg, Virginia, 180 miles
Monticello en route, home of Robert Jefferson, house, gardens and slave quarters Stay 2 nights, Williamsburg, Friday and Saturday

Day 6: Saturday, October 19

Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg Williamsburg houses and sites Research and conservation facilities

Conservation Workshops Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

Day 7: Sunday October 20

Travel to from Williamsburg to Edenton, North Carolina, 111 miles
Cupola House
Private Collections

Stay 1 night, Edenton, Sunday

Day 8: Monday October 21

Travel from Edenton to Wilmington, North Carolina, 177 miles
Free time in Wilmington
Stay 1 night, Wilmington, Monday

Day 9: Tuesday, October 22

Travel from Wilmington to Charleston, South Carolina, 176 miles
Drayton Hall plantation house en route
Stay 2 nights, Charleston, Tuesday and Wednesday