The Salem Museum is inviting the public to learn all about the British perspective in the American Revolution for Lord Dunmore Day, Saturday, Sept. 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Historians in Colonial and British military era attire will bring the past to life for kids and families alike. Interact with interpreters, hear lectures about the Revolution, and even meet Colonial Virginia’s last Royal Governor, Lord Dunmore, himself. All events are free to the public.
In 1775, Andrew Lewis – the local pioneer who led western Virginia’s militia in its fight to secure frontier settlements – helped drive Lord Dunmore from the colonial capital in Williamsburg. Yet the story of John Murray, Fourth Earl of Dunmore, is full of many more unexplored twists and turns. Attendees to Lord Dunmore Day will explore the legacy of this titular figure while examining British perspectives in the Revolutionary War.
Colonial living historians from the Fincastle Company will be on site to demonstrate the professions, trades, and crafts essential to the era while dispelling myths about the British during the War of Independence.
At 11 a.m. living history interpreter Michael Henningsen will give his talk “Governor Dunmore’s War: A Prelude to Self-Governance” as Lord Dunmore himself. Henningsen’s lecture will chronicle the complicated life of John Murray, from his rebellious youth in service of the Jacobite rebellion in 1745 to his turnabout service to the very English Crown he once despised. Follow along as Murray ascends to royal governorship over Virginia through his calamitous expulsion from the Governor’s Palace in this must-see talk.
At 1 p.m. living history interpreter Jeff Briggs of the Fincastle Company will give his talk “For King and Country: The Life of a British Soldier” in uniform as a redcoat. Briggs will rebut TV show and movie myths about the British soldiers who fought in the Revolution. While presenting little known facts about the British Army, he will explain the various functions of a standard British uniform and equipment commonly seen during the mid-to-late 1700s.
Throughout the day visitors are encouraged to catch the Museum’s featured exhibit “Salem’s Hidden Hero: Andrew Lewis and the Revolutionary War” before it closes. Chronicling the local patriot’s life and his lynchpin status in the course of the American Revolution, visitors can try on garments, handle tools, and interact with materials resembling those of Revolutionary era Virginia. The exhibit will close following the conclusion of Lord Dunmore Day celebrations.
On July 4, 2026, the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In preparation for the anniversary, the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250) is encouraging localities across Virginia to commemorate the Revolution with events and activities that showcase local history. The Salem Museum’s Lord Dunmore Day event is one such VA250 event, focusing on the opposing but oft-misinterpreted British side of the Revolutionary War.
-The Salem Times-Register
