To advertise: 540-349-8060 www.discoverypubs.com
Discover Fauquier
December 2025/January 2026
16
Having friends here in Warrenton, Pamela
Courtney came from the Carolinas last April
to participate in a 5K fundraiser for children
with cancer. While there,
she walked into t he
Fauquier History Museum at
the Old Jail to inquire about
the position of museum
director. After she and the
previous director spoke,
they both decided that it
was a perfect fit for her.
P a m e l a m o v e d t o
Warrenton in June and
started work within a couple
of weeks. She is very
excited to live in town and
walk to work! "The history of the museum is
a gem for Fauquier County!" she declares.
Having deep roots in Fauquier County--
over 350 years of family lineage--Pamela
has a deep sense of belonging. "I missed
the smell of boxwoods and hay and fences,"
she says. Although she was born here, she
spent most of her childhood in Rhodesia
with her mother, a theologian, and her
father, a physician. As a baby, Pamela
became very sick,
and her dad made a
promise to God that
he would go anywhere
in the world if Pamela
survived. Well, she
did, and he answered
the call to go to Africa
and live in primitive
conditions, where he
cared for the sick. In
addition to building a
clinic, they built a school and a home.
Pamela's life was anything but easy and she
refers to herself as a "third culture kid."
There were no roads, no electricity, and no
water where her family lived. She even
earned her pilot's license at the age of 16
since it was the fastest and easiest means
of transportation from the bush to civilization
to purchase supplies.
Pamela attended college in the U.S., earning
a bachelor of science degree, a master's in
cross disciplinary studies with an emphasis
on Appalachian and museum studies, and is
currently working on a doctorate in
anthropology. Her previous work experience
includes work at the South African Embassy
in Washington, DC, and teaching reading to
at-risk youth at Saint John the Evangelist
Catholic School and Fauquier High School
when she lived here previously.
Now Pamela is excited to be the
caretaker of the Fauquier History
Museum at the Old Jail. Dating back to
1808, the museum is
housed in two old jail
buildings, the older a brick
structure, and the newer
built of stone in 1823. The
jail itself was used as such
until 1966. The museum is
operated by the Fauquier
Historical Society, whose
mission is "to stimulate
i nt e r e s t i n Fa u q u i e r
C o u nt y a n d V i r g i n i a
history by preserving the
evidence of our past,
connecting it to our present and
educating the community about its
importance to our future."
The museum is open to the public from
11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. every day except
Tuesdays. Admission is $6 for adults and
$4 for seniors and veterans. A guided tour
is sometimes an option, or you can do a
self-guided tour through the numerous
floors and rooms in each building. If you
like history, this is the place to go! There
is even a vignette of an old-fashioned
dentist's office and barber shop, which
are both fascinating. A must-see
educational video plays on rotation in the
little theater room of the 1823 building.
The museum is always looking for
volunteers who have an interest in history.
Richard Deardoff, a new volunteer, and
former Fauquier High School teacher, will
be teaching a class for volunteers on
December 2.
Don't forget to browse through the gift
shop before you leave. There are many
history books, and just in time for the
holidays, Christmas ornaments depicting
the courthouse and museum, that are
available for purchase. To learn more,
visit
fauquierhistor y.org or call
(540) 347-5525.
New Executive Director of
the Fauquier Historical Society:
Pamela Courtney
Pamela Courtney
~ Lynnette Esse
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