Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collections are open for access.

Use Restrictions

Before usage, please contact Special Collections, Simpson Library.

Preferred Citation

, Record Group # 48. B4, Special Collections, Simpson Library, University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Transfer of records

Historical Information

The James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library was founded in 1927 by Rose de Chine Gouverneur Hoes and Lawrence Gouverneur Hoes, James Monroe descendants. The Museum was placed in a building on the site of Monroes law office in Fredericksburg, Virginia, although the original Monroe building no longer stands. The large collection in the museum consists of the Monroe familys personal objects and papers which have been donated by the descendants or acquired later. In 1964, the museum and its collections were given to the Commonwealth of Virginia and are now administered by the University of Mary Washington.

When the James Monroe Museum was given to the University of Mary Washington, a Board of Regents was formed to help administer activities relating to the Museum. The Board was created in 1964 through an act of the Virginia General Assembly.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of papers regarding the James Monroe Museum and Memorial Library from 1963 to the present. The papers include correspondence, general, administrative records and material concerning the Board of Regents. The correspondence relates to the Board of Regents and its members: Walter Chinn (Vice President of the James Monroe Memorial Foundation), Grellet Simpson(Chancellor of Mary Washington College), LeRoy Strohl (University Librarian, 1985-2010), and Ruby Weinbrecht(University Librarian, 1972-1984).

Arrangement

The collection is organized into five series: Series (1): Administrative records, Series (2): Board of Regents, Series (3): Correspondence, Series (4): General and Series (5): Publications.