Photo courtesy of the Radford Heritage Foundation
Located at 600 Unruh Drive in Radford, Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery sits atop a knoll off West Main Street, shining as one of Radford’s main tourist attractions. Here, visitors of all ages can take in a three-in-one museum experience, including the Historic Residence, History Exhibits, and the Art Gallery. Adjacent to the site, visitors may also see the Mary Draper Ingles Cultural Heritage Park, with a statue of the pioneer heroine. There is also the New River Train Observatory.
Wharton family Library at Glencoe. Photo Courtesy of the Radford Heritage Foundation
The Residence portion occupies the building’s main level and provides a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of the Wharton family who called Glencoe home for over a century. The house was built by General Gabriel C. Wharton and his wife Nannie Radford Wharton in the years following the Civil War. As two supporters describe it, “Entering through the main door of the nineteenth century property, history greets you like a proper hostess, enthralls you with its storied past, and captures your imagination through the artwork shown on its gallery walls.”
The Wharton’s were considered by their contemporaries to be among the movers and shakers of the region. In fact, Wharton, who was a member of the Virginia General Assembly, played a major role in bringing a land-grant college, now Virginia Tech, to Blacksburg.
Radford University Tour Group Photo courtesy of the Radford Heritage Foundation
The History Exhibits section of Glencoe provides visitors with an array of topics, showcasing the multi-faceted history of the city and the region. There is an exhibit featuring the Native Americans who once called the area down by the New River their home. Also, there are displays that track the lives of famous citizens like Mary Draper Ingles and Gov. John N. Dalton, whose histories tie into the larger narrative of the country’s development. Additionally, there are social and cultural exhibits that feature amazing items from the community, including the Edison phonograph.
In recent years, the museum has been striving to better tell the history of all those who have called Radford their home, which includes the African American community. With the Historic Residence, the museum is providing more insight into the lives of those who worked for the Wharton family. The Glencoe estate was a post-Civil War operation that employed the services of newly freed enslaved workers. The Wharton family’s document collection provides an amazing glimpse into this often-neglected period of history. To support this focus, a new exhibit on the history of slavery in Appalachia will be unveiled in Fall of 2022. The exhibit is made possible through a grant from Virginia Humanities.
The expanded Art Gallery represents a dynamic aspect of the museum with a new exhibition every two months. In the Gallery, the public can see the artistic talent of the region through a variety of mediums and styles. Everything from painting and photography to carved wood and fiber art has been on display. Tied into the Gallery is the Gift Shop, which also features the works of local creatives from artisans to authors to musicians. The Gift Shop is open the same hours as the museum and is a great spot in Radford to find that special gift.
Mary Draper Ingles Statue Photo Courtesy of the Radford Heritage Foundation
A recent addition to the Glencoe site has been the new Mary Draper Ingles Cultural Heritage Park, which has been declared a ‘Virginia Treasure’ by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. Donated by Norfolk Southern, the 1.3 acres are home to a picnic area, pathways, and an eight-foot bronze statue of the frontier heroine, along with interpretive panels on her life and the frontier experience.
In 2019, Radford resident Kay Edge, who is a professor in Virginia Tech’s School of Architecture + Design, created a project for her students and other faculty members to plan and construct the New River Train Observatory using sustainable hardwood found in Virginia. The structure, which has received national and international recognition, affords visitors an exciting view of Norfolk Southern trains traveling through the city, as well as the rail bridge crossing the New River. With a grant from the state’s Department of Forestry, improvements to the park are underway. These will help visitors to learn about native flora and fauna.
The train viewing observatory Photo courtesy of Edward Becker
Glencoe Mansion, a state and national landmark, opened to the public in 1998, following a nearly two-year-long restoration. The structure, which had been in family hands until 1981, was donated to the City of Radford by Kollmorgen in 1996 so that a museum could be opened for the community. Today the museum and park operate through a public-private partnership between the City of Radford and the non-profit Radford Heritage Foundation.
The Foundation can only operate the museum and the park through the generosity of individuals and businesses. Donations come in many forms, including objects, financial resources, and time and effort from members of the community, in Radford as well as the region. At the heart of the facility’s operation is the work of volunteers. There are so many ways for people to give back to the community from helping with events and outreach to utilizing special skill sets to help bring history and culture to the public.
Board Member Sarah Carter in Gift shop. Photo courtesy of Waggaman Photography
Glencoe Mansion and the Gift Shop are open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. There is no admission charge, and donations are welcome. A membership program is also available. While fundraising efforts are underway to improve accessibility to the site, currently only two of the three floors of the museum are accessible to those with special needs.
Glencoe Mansion, Museum & Gallery
600 Unruh Drive, Radford, VA • www.glencoemansion.org
Scott Gardner, Executive Director
540-731-5031 • info@glencoemansion.org