Goals for the Future of the Thomas James Store

Much has already been done to facilitate the preservation and future use of the Thomas James Store; yet, much remains to be done in order to fully utilize the building. The short- and long-term goals for the store can be placed under three major headings: preservation, ownership, and public interpretation. There is funding available in the form of grants and loans, both public and private, that may facilitate MCHS's goals for the James Store. A list of possible funding opportunities, provided by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, is included in here.

Preservation

The conservation goals for the Thomas James Store are discussed in detail in the previous section. It is in the best interest of the store that the aforementioned treatments, including drainage improvements, structural stabilization, salt removal, exterior weatherboard repair, iron conservation, door repair, and insect control, be carried out in the near future.  Stabilization of the building occurred during 2010. See Preservation 2010 Report below.

In addition to conservation treatments, the preservation of the James Store, and indeed the process of obtaining funding, as well as the public interpretation of the store, could be enhanced by an expanded knowledge of the history of the building and its owners. Because most of the Mathews County records were burned during the Civil War, little information about the store and its original owner, Thomas James, has been found in the historic record. Becky Barnhardt, local historian and archivist for the Mathews Memorial Library, has done a wonderful job of searching the records that are available locally and compiling a report on her findings. She has been asked to continue her search by examining records available outside of Mathews and fleshing out her report on the history of the store. The estimated cost of this commission is $1500.

In the long term, it is strongly recommended that MCHS commission a professional Historic Structure Report on the James Store. Such a report would contain an extremely thorough examination of the building's physical attributes and condition, as well as a detailed history of the store and its owners. It would also include graphic documentation of the building, such as photographs and measured drawings. In the case of the Thomas James Store, dendrochronology would be an important part of the examination and report as a method of determining a construction date for the building. A Historic Structure Report is an expensive endeavor, but a very worthwhile one, as it can propose detailed schemes and goals for the appropriate method of treatment, as well as serving as a guide for future alterations and maintenance. Having such well-defined goals can be a starting point for obtaining grants and other funding needed to complete the treatments recommended in the report, and for the long-term maintenance of the property. The cost of a Historic Structure Report on the Thomas James Store, as estimated by Mark Wenger of Mesick, Cohen, Wilson, and Baker Architects, would be approximately $31,600 including dendrochronology.

Ownership

The original intent for the future of the Thomas James Store was to relocate it to a plot of county-owned land next to Tompkins Cottage. The move would have involved the removal of the building's east and west wings in order to fit the store into the proposed space; additionally, the building would only fit onto the property with its gable end facing the street. Furthermore, the roof would have been removed and replaced during the move, resulting in the damage of some original historic material. The relocation was approved by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources when the land containing the James Store was owned by Mr. Michael Brown, and it appeared that the only alternative to moving the building was its destruction.

With the sale of Michael Brown's property to the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, MCHS was given permission to leave the James Store on MCVIC's property indefinitely. Given that the alternative to moving the building was no longer destruction, it became desirable to let the James Store remain in the position in which it had stood for over 100 years. Moving the store in the light of this new development would risk not only the loss of historic materials and context, but the loss of the store's National Register of Historic Places listing as well, which would limit funding opportunities in the future.

On March 18, 2009, MCHS conclusively decided to leave the Thomas James Store in its current location rather than moving it to the Tompkins Cottage site. The goal now is to determine future ownership of the building. One option is to consider transferring ownership of the store to Mathews County. Another would be to transfer the building to MCVIC, in an effort to share the cost of maintenance and the interpretation duties for the store. A third option is for MCHS to retain ownership of the store, and explore with MCVIC the possibility of either a long-term lease or the purchase of the land upon which it sits.

Mathews County Historical Society purchased the land on which Thomas James Store stands from Mathews County Visitor and Information Center in 2011.

Interpretation

A very important long-term goal for MCHS, second to stabilizing and repairing the building, is determining how the Thomas James Store should be interpreted to the public. The store is significant to the history of Mathews County, and should be available for viewing by both Mathews County residents taking an interest in their county's history and tourists alike. Its physical and historical relationship to Sibley's General Store, the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center headquarters, will boost the number of visitors to the store, so it would be wise to link the interpretation of the James Store with that of Sibley's. Indeed, if interpreted and marketed correctly, the store may generate increased tourism in the county.

The first step to determining a method of interpretation is deciding on a general method of treatment for the building; specifically, whether the store will be preserved or restored to its condition at a particular time period. Preservation would entail stabilizing the building, repairing it as needed, and cleaning it in preparation for display. Restoration, on the other hand, would require a more in-depth study of the building's evolution over time. Once a specific date has been chosen for the store to be restored to, all features of the building would be returned to their appearance at that date. For the James Store, the most significant date might be around 1820, when the building was relatively new and run as a store by Thomas James. To restore the building to its 1820 appearance, the east and west wings would be removed, the interior wall partition and staircase to the attic would be reinstated, as well as the counters and wall shelving.

My recommendation for the James Store would be to preserve the store as-is rather than attempting to restore it. There are a number of reasons that I make this recommendation; first, current historic preservation ethics call for preservation over restoration where appropriate. Restoration would introduce new materials into the fabric of the building, and would destroy features that may not be original, but have gained historic significance over time, such as the east and west wings of the building. Preservation, on the other hand, would retain the significance of the building's evolution over time. Second, restoration should only be undertaken when the alterations made to the building to return it to its previous appearance can be deemed absolutely historically accurate; there should never be any assumptions or guesswork involved. In the case of the James Store, we can determine the location of many previous features, but the lack of documentary evidence makes some features speculator at this point. For example, we cannot be certain of when the wings, interior partition, and staircase were removed, and it would take a great deal of investigation to determine these dates, if even possible at all. In addition, a restoration would be much more expensive than simple preservation, and may be cost prohibitive for MCHS. Finally, preserving the building rather than restoring it will allow for a much broader and richer interpretation of the store. If the store is restored, its interpretation would relate mainly to the time period to which it was restored. The building would be displayed as an artifact of that time period, with some insight into the history of commerce in the county at that time. On the other hand, if preserved, the building could relate the history of commerce in the county, while also relating the architectural evolution of the store over 200 years and simultaneously the evolution of commerce and social history in Mathews. The store could also be used to educate visitors regarding the process of preserving the building.

One method of interpretation that has been suggested by Pam Schenian and Randolph Turner of the Virginia Commonwealth Department of Historic Resources is computerized virtual interpretation. Virtual interpretation is undoubtedly the best choice for the Thomas James Store, particularly if MCHS decides to preserve the store rather than restore it. Visual and computerized tours and lectures are a great way to reach out to modern audiences from today's computerized age. They can prove to be much more powerful than a spoken guided tour and, although requiring a substantial amount of start-up funding to create the virtual program and visuals and to install the technological equipment, would not require that trained tour guides be available. It would afford audiences a glimpse of the building's historical appearance in a more cost-effective way than restoration.

My suggestion is that the building be altered as little as possible beyond stabilization and repairs, with new interior furnishings or artifacts introduced after careful consideration, relying mainly on a virtual tour in the form of a video and a few visuals for interpretation. The virtual tour could be available both in the James Store for visitors, and also on a website for remote touring. The tour would include 3-D graphic images of the store as it evolved over the years, including animated scenes of daily business between the shopkeeper and customers. It would explain and illustrate each major change to the store or its history, such as the removal of a wall or a change in ownership or building use. The audio of the tour would dictate not only the history of the store, its owners, and its functions, but also provide an overview of commercial history in Mathews County and the part played by the Thomas James Store in commercial and social history. Finally, the tour video could conclude with a summary of the methods used to preserve the building so that it can be viewed for generations to come. The virtual tour could be complemented with 2-D visuals strategically placed around the building, with drawings and explanations of certain features. The Matthew Jones House on Mulberry Island in Newport News is an example of a historic building nearby that uses a similar form of digital interpretation. The Matthew Jones House also educates visitors about the architectural features of the building via 2-D visuals, which might be an option for the Thomas James Store as well.

Pam Schenian recommended a couple of consulting firms that have experience in creating virtual tours. The first is Versar in Springfield, Virginia (703-750-3000); the other is Proviz Professional Visualization Services in Richmond, Virginia (804-591-2631). The creation of an animated 3-D virtual tour can be costly, so it may be wise to search for a local or independent consultant to lower the cost. Ms. Schenian also suggested that MCHS might be able to find a high school or college student willing to take on the project as an internship.

Since the Thomas James Store is historically linked with Sibley's General Store, it would be most effective for the stores to be linked in their interpretation so that guests can experience the stores together for a fuller grasp on the evolution of commerce and commercial architectural styles in the area. Sibley's is already a key destination for many tourists in Mathews County, as it houses the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center. MCVIC's plan for the future of Sibley's is to use the main building fronting Main Street as a visitor's center and gift shop, and the rear c.1840 building as a museum to tell the story of the general store and of Mathews County. According to Rebecca Grow, historic Mathews County artifacts will be on display, and possibly an exhibit showcasing Mathews family history. MCVIC and MCHS could work together to ensure that the interpretive information in Sibley's flows into that in the James Store. For example, Ms. Grow indicated that MCVIC was interested in obtaining an information kiosk for Sibley's. This could be placed in the General Store so that visitors encounter it upon entering the building, and it would contain an introductory overview of the history of the store complex and of the development of commerce in Mathews County. The General Store could also have interpretive materials regarding the history of Sibley's from its construction in 1899; since the building remains largely as it was in the early twentieth century, this could be exhibited easily with 2-D materials such as photographs and drawings.

Visitors would then walk through to the rear c.1840 building, which would house MCVIC's memorabilia and family history exhibits. To tie it in with the other two stores, the interpretation of the stores as a complex or district would continue in this building with materials describing Mathews commerce in the second half of the nineteenth century. This could be done in the form of informational plaques and drawings, or an animated 3-D video similar to that proposed for the Thomas James Store. Once more information is found on the history of the c.1840 store, drawings or 3-D renderings of its historic appearance can be incorporated into the exhibit. If MCHS and MCVIC wish to highlight the evolution of architectural features in the three commercial buildings over time as well, plaques could be placed strategically in each store to point out and explain the features, materials, and construction methods typical to each time period.

Finally, visitors will exit through the rear of Sibley's and enter the Thomas James Store, which would be interpreted virtually so that visitors can see how the building physically changed over the years. All three stores will be opened and closed each day by the volunteer stationed in the Visitor Center. In this way, visitors are effectively walking back in time, following the evolution of commerce and commercial architecture in Mathews County from the twentieth century, to the mid-nineteenth century, to the early nineteenth century. A pamphlet printed with supplemental information could also be available to visitors when they enter Sibley's to aid in the interpretation of the stores as a unified district.

There are many other ways that MCHS and MCVIC could join forces to aid in the interpretation and promotion of the Thomas James Store and Sibley's. Since MCVIC's “Visit Mathews” website is probably the best source of information for potential visitors, MCHS could aid MCVIC in expanding the section of the website that deals with historic sites. Currently, neither Sibley's nor the Thomas James Store is included. Perhaps the website could include a map of Mathews County, with historic sites marked and some brief information about the history of each site, whether it is open to the public, and the hours that it is open. Another method of interpreting the stores is to apply for and sponsor a Virginia Historical Highway Marker printed with a brief history of the Thomas James Store and Sibley's. Finally, living history interpretation is a fun and very informative activity. Although it is not practical to have costumed interpreters in the stores at all times, MCVIC and MCHS could host interpretive activities at certain times of the year when a high volume of visitors are likely to be present, such as during the annual Mathews Market Days festival. Each of the stores could have interpreters dressed from that store's prominent era present to speak with visitors and demonstrate the daily activities involved in running a store during that era.

Museum-type lighting and comprehensive labels for self-guided tours were introduced into the building in 2012-2013, without any intrusion into, or sacrifice of, original elements. Facilities for physically handicapped visitors were also made available.