Waynesboro Heritage Foundation

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

A rare view of the Fishburne Military School campus. According to the writing on the bottom of this postcard this image is of the "Southern Entrance Fishburne Military School Waynesboro, VA. The southern entrance would be at the side of the building facing 11*h Street, about were Chestnut Avenue joins 11*h Street. The barracks building appears to be covered in ivy, which is seen in other images of the school from the mid-20th century.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating.

10/13/2026

This undated postcard shows Fishburne Military School cadets in their dress uniforms "On Parade." Since the postcard is not postmarked, it is unclear when the photograph was taken.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating. https://square.link/u/FhOtQy3C
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

10/10/2026

DUE to the Anticipated Increment Weather, we will not be open on Sunday, October 11th. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Please do come join us for the Waynesboro Fall Festival and see our New Wayne Theatre Exhibit as they celebrate their 100th Anniversary year.

10/06/2026

Today the U.S. Navy celebrates its 251st birthday. It commemorates the creation of the Continental Navy in 1775. Throughout 2026, the service is also participating in the nation's 250th anniversary events such as the International Naval Review 250 that was held July 3-8 in the Port of New York and New Jersey, featuring international ships and tall ships.

The National Capital Region Navy Birthday Ball was held on October 10, 2026. It was hosted by the Navy League of the United States at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.

The image shown today is of the Gunner's Mates Class 5 in 1945 at the U.S. Naval Training Center, Sampson, New York. John "Jack" Bennett is the second from the right on the fourth row up from the bottom. He was the uncle of Karen Church, who is the Archivist of the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating. https://square.link/u/FhOtQy3C
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

10/05/2026

New exhibit coming soon!
Soft opening Oct. 10th.
Join us!
This is an exhibit in partnership with the Wayne Theatre.

10/01/2026

According to the Fishburne Military School History found on their website.

"It was apparent to Professor Fishburne that a modern, fireproof facility would be required if the school continued its place in the forefront of secondary education. He invited the community's outstanding and successful businesspeople to invest in a private stock corporation to acquire the school and fund the necessary improvements. The school was incorporated in 1916. The Staunton architect T.J.
Collins was hired, and construction of the new Barracks began soon. The mess hall/chapel/swimming pool wing and the kitchen were added in 1919 and 1921, respectively. A wooden frame gymnasium was also built behind the Barracks in
1919. The old frame Barracks was torn down in 1917, forming a spacious parapet (drill area in front of the new Barracks. The large field occupying the Fishburne property's eastern portion was graded and leveled for use as a parade/athletic field." The postcard seen here shows the new brick Barracks that were built at the time. This building still stands today and is in continuing use as a barrack for the cadets of Fishburne Military School.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating.
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

09/30/2026

This postcard is believed to show a sports team for Fishburne Military School. The wooden from to the left appears to be a goalpost for football so it is possible this is the football team. It is postmarked Waynesboro, VA It is addressed to Miss N Pearle Strickler, New Market, Virginia.

There is a question about where this photograph was taken since the buildings in the background are not the ones known on Wayne Avenue across from the Fishburne Military School field. This could be looking from the field across Federal Street to the backs of the buildings on Main Street, but none have been recognized as of this date.
Waynesboro Heritage Museum works hard to correctly identify the images in our collection so if anyone has any ideas or knowledge about this image, we would appreciate your help. Contact our Archivist Karen Church.


Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating. Link in our bio.
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

09/23/2026

According to the Fishburne Military School History found at

"It was also in 1880 that Professor Fishburne began the construction of his home, which is located on the hill where Fishburne Military School now stands. He bought 1½ acres from Elizabeth Evans, wife of Joshua Evans. Professor Fishburne added approximately two more acres to his property a year later. Professor Fishburne's home was completed in 1882, and the school moved to its present site. His two-story house with a full basement accommodated boarding students.
Instructors and students roomed, ate, and studied here. Local histories indicate that this was the first house in the county with running water and a bath served by water pumped from a Wayne Avenue spring. The school's name became Fishburne Home School, and this same year, construction of the wooden barracks began."
In the undated early postcard above there is a clear view of both the house and wooden barracks mentioned in the history above. It also shows some of the cadets in formation on the field in front of the school.

Small print at the top of the card reads: Waynesboro, VA Battalion Drill, F.M.S. Campus. The small print in the bottom left-hand corner of the card advertises C. N. Allison Jeweler, Waynesboro, VA.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating.
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

09/22/2026

The postcard shown here does not have a postmark, but the bottom of the image reads: "Sally Port, Fishburne Military School, Waynesboro, VA.
The Sally port is the historic main entryway and a secure pedestrian entry to the campus barracks. It is a prominent architectural feature of the building that was designed by the prominent Staunton architect T.J.
Collins in 1916. It was modeled after the military architecture seen at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. The Sally Port is a critical part of the campus footprint listed on the National Register of Historic Places.



Waynesboro Heritage Foundation & Museum operate with the support of donations. If you are enjoying our postings and would like to help us continue to preserve our local history, please consider donating. https://square.link/u/FhOtQy3C
Waynesboro Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.