Lovettsville Historical Society & Museum, 4 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Lovettsville, Virginia
(Formerly the Potterfield Meat Store; Lovettsville Library)
The former Potterfield Meat Store, now home to the Lovettsville Historical Society & Museum, was operated by Thomas Potterfield, who lived in the large house next door. The Potterfield Meat Store was built in the early 1900’s as part of his meat business, which he likely started when he returned from the War Between the States in 1865. The actual butchering shop and hog scalding trough were in a building that was once located behind the Meat Store. Both pork and beef were sold in the store. The meat not immediately sold was kept in a large wooden icebox that held 200-pound chunks of ice in a top compartment.
The horse-drawn vehicles were kept in a small wing of the building, now the second room of the museum.The main room of today’s museum is where the meat was once sold. Mr. Potterfield also hauled meat to sell in Brunswick and also sold groceries there. After Thomas Potterfield’s death in 1912, the business was carried on by his sons, Robert and Edward Potterfield.
In May 1974, the Lovettsville Town Council appointed a committee to restore the building. After several fund-raising events, the Museum was opened for the first time during the 1976 Septemberfest. The building underwent further improvements, including the complete restoration of the small wing, which became the Lovettsville Library. The official opening of the Lovettsville Museum & Library took place in September 1979. In the following months, additions and improvements were made, as funds became available through the Town and its citizens, and the building came to look as it does today. The Library is now located on north Light Street.
The displays in the Museum consist of donations, mostly from local families, some old, some not so old, but all represent our community’s heritage and various facets of a past way of life.
The Museum also contains an archives and research library of genealogies, maps, books, photographs and other resource materials that illustrate the history of Lovettsville and its inhabitants.
In addition, the Lovettsville Historical Society offers a monthly lecture series, monthly newsletter, group tours by appointment, gift shop, Facebook page, and online store for memberships, merchandise and financial contributions.
The members of the Board of Directors are most grateful to all who have made donations or contributions to support the mission of the Lovettsville Historical Society & Museum.
The Lovettsville Historical Society, Inc. is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Society, and membership dues, are tax-deductible under the Internal Revenue Code.
EMAIL: info@lovettsvillehistoricalsociety.org
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/LovettsvilleHistoricalSocietyAndMuseum
TWITTER: @LovMuseum
MEMBERSHIPS & DONATIONS: https://squareup.com/store/lovettsville-museum
The land tax records for 1885-1915 show an extraordinarily high tax valuation for improvements on lots in Lovettsville. Allowing for variations in tax rates and inconsistencies in recording improvement valuations by the tax assessor, the total value of buildings in Lovettsville ranged from $12,900 to $35,975 between 1885 and 1915. Some of the largest valuations can be explained by the number of commercial buildings that as a rule were elevated. For example, the Butcher Shop that now houses the Lovettsville Museum at 4 East Pennsylvania Avenue, [255-5001-0002] owned and operated by Thomas L. Potterfield and built circa 1880, was always recorded with highly valued improvements, $950 in 1885, and $1025 in 1915.49 (Section 8, page 59).
Citation: https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/registers/Counties/Loudoun/255-5001_Lovettsville_HD_2012_NRHP_FINAL.pdf
See also Lovettsville Historic District
See also Lovettsville Historic District Listed On National Register of Historic Places