Skicoak Living Museum of the American Indian

Although within some Thalians’ memories, others may not know that our community was once host to an historic and entertaining museum that honored and displayed the ways of the American Indian. The site of the Skicoak Living Museum of the American Indian was west of Thalia Creek, across from Pembroke Mall.

The museum, affiliated with the Foundation of North American Indians, was the brainchild of founder and director Leslie “Douglas” Waldorf  (1927-2007). He developed the show-and-tell facility on the acreage adjacent to his home. Skicoak Living Museum opened its doors, or perhaps more accurately, its teepee flaps- in 1965.  The entry road was dubbed “The Lane” by the residents of the three houses along the dirt road. Children referred to it as “The Time Tunnel” alluding to their magical venture back to the days of the past.

Waldorf was a man of many trades, having worked in radio broadcasting, banking, real estate, television, and motel management. He had gained local notoriety in the 1940s and 1950s as “Wally Douglas,” an area radio and television personality, as well as a stand-up bass player and drummer. His interests in history and archeology greatly influenced his extracurricular activities, including involvement in various organizations and societies to the benefit of many. Putting his knowledge of Native Americans to use, Waldorf, under the name of “Chief Thundercloud,” had been in charge of the Indian exhibit at Frontier City. Frontier City was an American West historic theme park that operated from 1960 through 1964 at its location between Birdneck and Laskin Roads. When Frontier City closed, Waldorf easily segued into his “living museum” role, bringing with him not only public recognition as an “Indian,” but also, conveniently, some of the park’s costumes and props.

Waldorf prided himself in his thirty-five years of service to youth organizations including school children, Boy Scouts and Campfire Girls, by sharing his knowledge, time and talents. It was Thalia Elementary School’s fourth grade students’ enthusiastic response to his American Indians presentation that prompted his inspiration to develop his living museum adjacent to his family’s home. In the name of authenticity and in keeping with Waldorf’s passion for the history and lifestyle of American Indians, the entire family, wife Olive and the six children, took on many indigenous ways of life, including planting and harvesting their own crops for food, preparing food as the Indians had, and using deer skin hides as coverlets on their beds.

Waldorf named the museum Skicoak in keeping with local history of the area’s first settlers, the Chesapeake Indians. Skicoak was believed by historians to have been their main tribal village on the Elizabeth River in today’s Norfolk. It was depicted in drawings by John White, English artist, cartographer, and mid-1500s visitor to this area. Skicoak was seemingly gone before the arrival of the English at Jamestown in 1607.  Some believe the village was destroyed at the hands of Powhatan’s people, who resented the Chesapeans for not joining their confederacy.

The Skicoak Living Museum of the American Indian closed in 1971. For more information about the museum, go to http://www.mark422productions.com/SkicoakLivingMuseum.html

Terms and Conditions: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.  No one may modify, copy, reproduce, or distribute any content in any manner or medium without permission. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at any time and without notice.

Colonization of Thalia

Let’s roll the clock back to the 1600s. To encourage the colonization of Virginia, land patents were being granted through a “headright” system that offered 50 acres of land per person for the financing of another's passage from England. Two of our area’s earliest settlers from England, entrepreneurs Adam Thoroughgood and Lancaster Lovett, were utilizing this system to acquire hundreds to thousands of acres in what is today’s Virginia Beach. Seemingly, Thoroughgood and Lovett were the earliest European landowners in today’s Thalia (which was not so-named yet). 

Adam Thoroughgood had married the well-heeled Sarah Offley of London. It has been surmised that he basically used her dowry to embark on his colonial ventures. He did very well for himself, ultimately owning about 7,000 acres of land, much of it being in today’s Bayside. Adam was very active in the early development of the church and community of what was then called Lynnhaven Parish. He died in his mid thirties in 1640, leaving the majority of his land to his wife, Sarah. He left his Thalia land called “Timber Necke,” apparently land west of Thalia Creek, to his only son and namesake.

Lancaster Lovett had been granted the land in Thalia east of the creek. In 1645, he married young Bathsheba as his second wife. The following excerpt from early court records that same year illustrates an unfortunate (for Bathsheba) tiff between the pregnant sixteen-year-old and the aforementioned influential Sarah Thoroughgood Gookin. Sarah, then in her second widowhood as a result of her husband Captain John Gookin's death in 1643, was quite busy in the county court those days. In this instance, Bathsheba was accused of slandering Sarah and her daughters:

15 August 1645 - The difference in controversie betweene Mrs. Gookins Pltf: and Lancaster Lovett deft: concerning Bathsheba the wyfe of the said Lanc: Lovett at the request of Mrs. Gookin is referred to the next Court to be heard and determined .... for as much as it appears that Bathsheba the wyfe of Lanc: Lovett hath much misdemeaned herself towards Mrs. Gookins her Mistress and the Court taking due recognixance thereof doe order that the said Bathsheba shoud aske the said Mrs. Gookins forgiveness in open Court upon her Knees and if it shall appeare that the said Bathsheba shall hereafter misbehave herself in an uncivill or undecent manner worthy of punishment then she the said Bathsheba shall receive 20 lashes on her bare back after she is delivered of her child she nowe goeth withall and pay the Court charges. (A f 21a p 264)

Francis Yeardley married Sarah Thoroughgood Gookin in 1647 to become the twice-widowed woman's third and last husband. He was the youngest son of Sir George Yeardley, who served as Governor of Virginia from 1618-1621 and again from 1626-1627. By 1648 Timber Necke (again, west of Thalia Creek) was “taken up by” Francis Yeardley, most likely courtesy of his having married Sarah.

Sarah outlived all of her spouses. On her epitaph at the Church Point “parish church” graveyard, the thrice-widowed woman Sarah Thoroughgood Gookin Yeardley claimed each husband. But, per her wishes, she was buried with her second spouse, Captain John Gookin. Her marriage to him had been a happy but short, two-year union. Her burial request and will left no doubt that Gookin was her preferred husband.

Terms and Conditions: All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.  No one may modify, copy, reproduce, or distribute any content in any manner or medium without permission. These terms and conditions of use are subject to change at any time and without notice.

Thalia's new history blog

Hello, 

I am Deni Norred, former Thalia resident and currently a Thalia neighbor in nearby Birchwood. Eighteen years ago, I teamed up with a neighbor to write a book about Thalia. Many life events and side projects later, the project is mine alone now and is still alive, and there will be a book one day. My research encompasses a much larger "Thalia" than we acknowledge today, including Town Center and Pembroke. Until the book is completed, I will use this blog to tease you with Thalia’s history.

Beneath the veneer of Thalia’s asphalt streets, manicured lawns, and the hubbub of residents’ everyday lives is an amazing history, rich for its acreage, which needs to be told. Like disjointed squares once a quilt, Thalia’s legends are passed in scraps from speaker to listener, their details sometimes tattered, faded and threadbare, while at other times embroidered richly with far-fetched color. Names, dates, major elements and minutia vary from teller to teller. Among the most-passed tales are those of a camp for World War II prisoners of war, a furniture store that once was a hospital, and a restaurant on the site of an old country club and golf course. Inarguably, most captivating are the tales of a Madam’s brothel and her private landing strip. Thalia has been home to notable artists, judges, TV personalities, and radio pioneers.

Of all Thalia’s story’s gems and riches, it is the memories of current and former “Thalians” that are the most treasured gold. After all, personal anecdotes are far more fascinating than any deed or passage in a book. Reliance on memories, however, may lead the reader to wonder how much of this gathered oral history can be called fact. As memory introduces interpretation into the record, it is impossible to know. Recollections of events long over are imperfect, their details often missing, time-corroded, or chronologically misplaced. But I am emphatic in my assertion that it would be tragic to discard the unproven from Thalia’s story.  

I look forward to sharing and expanding my knowledge of Thalia with you.

Sincerely,

Deni