The annual New London Day event took place in partnership with Liberty University’s Department of History Oct. 4 along Alum Springs Road.
Each year, the event is hosted by Friends of New London, whose mission is to preserve the historic quality of New London and educate the community on its historical significance. Liberty acquired the building 10 years ago and has participated in this event since 2016.
New London was founded in 1754 and became the first county seat for Bedford County. The town was a significant landmark for Virginia during the American Revolution.
Student volunteers, alumni and others dressed in period clothing gave tours through some of the three buildings included in the event: Bedford Alum Springs Hotel, Mead’s Tavern and the African American Methodist Episcopal Church. They offered historical background, stories and additional information for each historical site.
Director of Public History Initiatives Donna Donald led this year’s event. She said the goal was to educate the community on New London’s history.
“The purpose is to raise awareness in the community that this is an important piece of history, and we need to save it,” Donald said.
The historical sites have been used by Liberty students for years to conduct research for class projects and to dig beyond what sits on the surface.
“You can see the results of the archaeology. We’ve done the most study at the tavern — we’ve done multiple archaeological excavations,” Donald said.
Excavations at the sites have allowed students to grow in their studies and develop new methods of research. Although student projects take place around the sites, the restoration of the buildings is coming at some point in the future.
“One of the things we are trying to emphasize this year is the future of the tavern, trying to cast a vision for what it will be,” Donald said. “Our next project at the tavern we hope to convert the existing wing into a fully furnished museum space so that we can use that as a launching point for interpreting the rest of the tavern.”
Donald said that without the students’ help, this event would not be as special. She said their dedication benefits them with hands-on experience, which they can take with them in their later careers.
“It’s more than just reading a book, writing a paper and walking away, but to create a project that they can share with the public, and gain experience doing it,” Donald said. “Many of them have gone on to get jobs and internships because of this type of experience.”
Freshman attendee Elise Bailey said this event was a great way to learn more about New London’s history.
“The community is my favorite part,” Bailey said. “It’s nice to see everybody coming out and enjoying themselves. … Celebrating their history is my favorite part.”
Riden is the on-campus news editor for the Liberty Champion.