Robert Thomas Carriage Museum

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Robert Thomas Carriage Museum

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BLACKSTONE, VIRGINIA

Robert Thomas Carriage Museum

A local collection of restored horse-drawn vehicles, created to preserve the craft and history of carriage travel.

Location
Blackstone, Virginia

Address
217 N. High St., Blackstone, VA 23824

Collection
Restored horse-drawn vehicles

Visiting
Weekdays by appointment; Saturday hours listed

The Robert Thomas Carriage Museum offers a close look at horse-drawn transportation through a collection assembled by Blackstone educator and farmer Robert B. Thomas Jr. and his wife, Marie. The museum’s local visitor page describes restored carriages and other vehicles collected over about two decades, with restoration work completed before they were installed on display.

The museum opened to the public in September 2007 with 26 vehicles, according to its visitor information; the page reports that the collection had grown to 35 by 2014. It is a compact, specialized stop for visitors interested in historic vehicles and Blackstone’s local heritage. Check the town’s current visitor information before setting out, especially if you plan to visit on a weekday, when appointments are required.

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Why visit the Robert Thomas Carriage Museum?

The appeal is its focused subject: rather than a broad survey of local history, the museum centers on horse-drawn vehicles and the work involved in collecting and restoring them. The collection grew from Thomas’s interest in carriages, which began after he purchased a runabout that needed wheel restoration. His search for suitable wheels led him to seek out additional vehicles and eventually build a collection for public display.

The town’s account also connects the vehicles to everyday community life: Thomas drove carriages in local parades and provided them for weddings. That personal history gives the museum a distinctly local point of view on a form of transportation that has largely disappeared from daily use.

Start here

Begin with the range of restored vehicles, then look for the details that distinguish one type from another: the shape of the body, wheel design, seating and fittings. The visitor page identifies the collection as 35 vehicles as of 2014, including two donations from Nottoway County residents. Confirm current displays with the town if you have a particular vehicle in mind.

Allow time to take in the vehicles at a measured pace. This is a small, specialized museum rather than a large attraction with a full day’s worth of programming; the town’s visitor page also offers links to a virtual tour and other online views of the collection.

What to see and do

Explore Blackstone

Make the museum part of a visit to Blackstone. Check local visitor information for other town stops and current opening details.

Get to know Nottoway County

The collection has a local connection: two vehicles were donated by Nottoway County residents, according to the museum’s history.

Continue to Farmville

Consider extending a Southern Virginia outing with a stop in Farmville; check destination details and opening schedules before traveling.

Walk the High Bridge Trail

For a change of pace, pair a museum visit with time on the regional trail. Check the trail’s current access information before planning your route.

History and significance

Robert B. Thomas Jr. was a Nottoway County native, farmer and educator. After military service, he studied science using the GI Bill, taught in Amelia and Nottoway counties, and later became a professor at Longwood College. His interest in horse-drawn vehicles grew from his family’s interest in horses and the restoration needs of the first runabout he bought.

Thomas collected vehicles for about 20 years, traveling from Virginia to Pennsylvania and finding carriages through auctions and local leads. The visitor page says he was a member of the Carriage Association of America and attended its national meetings and driving events. As the museum was being prepared, Ted Hughes of Chalklevel Carriage and Buggy Works restored the vehicles for display.

The Town of Blackstone helped bring the museum to fruition, with grants obtained from the Virginia Department of Transportation. It opened in 2007 with 26 restored vehicles; the town’s account records 35 by 2014. The collection preserves both the vehicles and the memory of Thomas using them in local parades and weddings.

Planning a visit

The visitor page lists the museum at 217 N. High St., Blackstone, Virginia 23824. It gives weekday hours as Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. by appointment; Saturday hours are listed as 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday as closed. Because hours and appointment arrangements can change, confirm with the Town of Blackstone before visiting. The listed phone number is (434) 292-3041.

The town’s page also links to online views of the museum and collection. These can help you get acquainted before your visit, but check the current visitor information for in-person arrangements.

Nearby attractions

Blackstone
The town setting for the museum; check local visitor information for more things to see and do.

Nottoway County
Explore the county connected to Robert Thomas and the museum’s locally donated vehicles.

Farmville
A nearby Southern Virginia destination to consider adding to a regional itinerary.

High Bridge Trail
A regional trail option for visitors looking to add outdoor time to a museum-focused outing.

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References

External links

• Robert Thomas Carriage Museum visitor information — Visit Blackstone