This is a microhistory of 400 years of southern history told in the study of one place, Eyre Hall on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay.
Erected in 1759 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, Eyre Hall is still occupied by descendants of its builder. It retains a rich variety of objects from furniture and books to silver and paintings acquired by the family, reflecting the tastes and aspirations of its many different generations.
Only a small handful of places in Virginia can claim such continuity. The material culture of Eyre Hall illustrates the everchanging meanings of this place in American culture from the seventeenth- through the twenty-first century. It represents the cultural endeavors of southern society that was built on slavery and suffered the tribulations of wars, emancipation, and economic depressions.
This study explores the mutability of this inheritance in the wake of such transformative events. The book is divided into four sections. The first recounts the history of those who lived at Eyre Hall. The second examines the architecture of the house and its service buildings. The third explores the formal garden. The fourth section is a catalogue raisonné of its objects.
About the Author
Edited by Carl R. Lounsbury, Senior Architectural Historian, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (retired), Adjunct Associate Professor of History, College of William and Mary With an Introduction by Dr. Cary Carson, Senior Vice President of Research at Colonial Williamsburg, retired. Coontributions by Laura Barry, Bennie Brown, Edward Chappell, Sam Florer, Erik Goldstein, Haley Hoffman, Neal Hurst, Angelika Kuettner, Mark Letzer, Carl R. Lounsbury, George McDaniel, Katie McKinney, Elizabeth Palms, Margaret Pritchard, Sumpter Priddy, Will Rieley, Alexandra Rosenberg, Gary Stanton, Robert Watkins, and John Watson.
Industry Reviews
"Some readers will see this book as a companion to The Chesapeake House, the magisterial account of early Tidewater architecture. It is that and more. With its focus on a single house and its remarkably preserved collection, it sets a new standard for scholarship on house museums, though its subject is a private home. Thanks to this beautiful book, Eyre Hall finally has the wider audience that it deserves. "-Jeffrey E. Klee, vice president and senior director of Architecture, Classical American Homes Preservation Trust; "The Material World of Eyre Hall goes far beyond chronicling four centuries at a well preserved private residence on Virginia's Eastern Shore. Baldwin and Lounsbury bring together a who's who of American material-culture historians to offer a compelling portrait of life in the Chesapeake. The eloquent introduction and history of the Eyre family coupled with first-hand accounts of those who lived and worked at Eyre Hall provide a valuable context for understanding the extraordinary buildings, landscape, and household objects that survive to tell its story. "-Carol B. Cadou, Charles F. Montgomery Director and CEO, Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library; "This work is a rare confluence of a historic place, objects, and people captivating readers with a compelling historical narrative that spans over 350 years. In addition to the remarkable objects passed down from one generation to the next, it is also a legacy that entwines landowners, enslaved people, freedmen, and servants. Their stories are here, too-and rightfully so. The richness found in these pages surpasses much of what we see and hear at public historic house museums and sites." -Christy S. Coleman, Executive Director, Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.
