Envisioning Virginia 1587-1784: Early Maps of the New World

30 maps in celebration of Jamestown’s 400th Anniversary

Over the last 36 years, his passion and love for history has driven him to build an enormous collection of exquisite, original cartography, exploring the way early European settlers visualized the New World. He has acquired over 400 maps drawn by John White, Captain John Smith, the first American geographer Thomas Hutchins, and even a map of Jefferson County drawn by former President George Washington during his teenage years!

Now, private collector William Woolridge has generously agreed to share a select few of these rare maps with the Chrysler Museum of Art and the general public in the new exhibition Envisioning Virginia 1587–1784: Early Maps of the New World, now open through August 12, 2007.

Woolridge, a Lynchburg native, began his collection while serving in the United States Army. During his stay in Germany, he purchased a small map of Virginia and has since then exponentially expanded his assortment of historically significant cartography. He has always considered himself a history buff and has what he calls “a collective instinct”. Woolridge started collecting stamps as a child, and that grew into his love of maps as an adult.

“I hope that visitors get a sense of the excitement of the evolution of Virginia. There is something wonderful about seeing an actual picture of the state in comparison to other places on the coast,” says Woolridge.

This exhibition is separated into six distinctive sections specifically designed to highlight a different aspect of Virginia’s evolving identity. Getting Oriented explores the way maps communicate various forms of information. A Mythic, Unbounded Eden shows how early maps attempt to present Virginia as a natural, unspoiled paradise—similar to the arcadia depicted in art and pastoral poems. Virginia as Powhatan’s Chesapeake Kingdom demonstrates how early Europeans equated Powhatan’s realm to that of a monarchy. Virginia as the Southeast reveals how cartographers drew maps to help define Virginia beyond the boundaries of the Chesapeake Bay, extending the state to the entire Southeast. Virginia as a British Province illustrates the importance of maps asserting British territorial dominance over colonial rivals and The Back Parts of the Province presents maps as the formal record of the results of treaties and military campaigns.

The Chrysler offers special thanks to the Caxambas Foundation and an anonymous donor for their support on this special exhibition.

For general information, please call (757) 664-6200. For media information, please contact the Public Relations Department at (757) 333-6295 or publicrelations@chrysler.org.