The Franconia Museum announces that Wayne Wakefield has agreed to join its Board of Directors. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Wayne has lived in Franconia for more than 40 years. He brings a professional museum historian’s background to the group that preserves, protects and promotes our cherished section of Fairfax County.
Joining Wayne on the Board are Carl Sell, President, Don Hakenson and Nathaniel Lee, vice presidents, Judy Hutchinson, secretary and Jane Higham, treasurer. Other members are Cary Nalls, Charlie Wood, Joyce and Bob Young, Carol Hakenson, Steve Sherman, Phyllis Walker Ford, Carolyn Banks Summers and Jeff Langley.
No stranger to the Museum, Wayne has been a volunteer docent, spending time cataloging the numerous artifacts in anticipation of the upcoming move later this fall. He is working with Nathaniel Lee, the Museum’s Vice President for Administration, on a plan to move the Museum to its new location as part of the government center on Beulah Street. The move will involve a more organized display of artifacts and information, both actual and electronically.
A budget has been established to buy electronic equipment as well as shelving artifacts. The logistics of moving from one building to another is being planned. Although the new room will only be a bit larger than the present Museum space, other opportunities for historic displays will be located on the same floor as the Museum.
In 2023, Wayne retired from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where he had worked as a Museum Specialist for 35 years. He previously worked for the National Park Service in Walla Walla, Washington, the United States Army Engineering Museum at Fort Belvoir, and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Wayne began his association with the Franconia Museum on the Both Sides Tour, the Museum’s semiannual fund-raising tours to Civil War sites in the Mid-Atlantic Region. On the tour to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 2009, he bought a Union cap. For a Civil War themed wedding of a friend, in 1995, playing a Confederate officer, he rented the uniform, but had to buy the kepi (cap). Now he has hats for both sides of the tour.
A tradition was born on the next tour as Wayne wore a blue cap in Union territory and the gray cap in Confederate areas. putting on the one that signified the current talk. His action was noticed by others on the tour, who began to check to see which hat “Both Sides Wayne” had on top.
Wayne was born in Tacoma, Washington, where he attended high school. He did his undergraduate study at Western Washington University, in Belingham, Washington, majoring in history and anthropology. He also earned a master’s degree in history and museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate program, a division of the New York State University system.
His favorite historic sites so far in Franconia are Ward’s Corner, the collection of businesses, a movie theater/performance hall, restaurant and grocery store that were located on Franconia Road, and the historic Ashland house, which still stands on Walhaven Drive. Fellow board member Cary Nalls is the grandson of the founder of Ward’s Corner. Woodie Smith, Franconia’s first paid fireman, was born at Ashland. He was the father of Mary Smith, a long-time board member and adviser.
Wayne can usually be found at the Museum on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Museum is also open at those same hours on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.
Check out our previous history blogs and other information on our web site, franconiamuseum,org.
No stranger to the Museum, Wayne has been a volunteer docent, spending time cataloging the numerous artifacts in anticipation of the upcoming move later this fall. He is working with Nathaniel Lee, the Museum’s Vice President for Administration, on a plan to move the Museum to its new location as part of the government center on Beulah Street. The move will involve a more organized display of artifacts and information, both actual and electronically.
A budget has been established to buy electronic equipment as well as shelving artifacts. The logistics of moving from one building to another is being planned. Although the new room will only be a bit larger than the present Museum space, other opportunities for historic displays will be located on the same floor as the Museum.
In 2023, Wayne retired from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History where he had worked as a Museum Specialist for 35 years. He previously worked for the National Park Service in Walla Walla, Washington, the United States Army Engineering Museum at Fort Belvoir, and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Wayne began his association with the Franconia Museum on the Both Sides Tour, the Museum’s semiannual fund-raising tours to Civil War sites in the Mid-Atlantic Region. On the tour to the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 2009, he bought a Union cap. For a Civil War themed wedding of a friend, in 1995, playing a Confederate officer, he rented the uniform, but had to buy the kepi (cap). Now he has hats for both sides of the tour.
A tradition was born on the next tour as Wayne wore a blue cap in Union territory and the gray cap in Confederate areas. putting on the one that signified the current talk. His action was noticed by others on the tour, who began to check to see which hat “Both Sides Wayne” had on top.
Wayne was born in Tacoma, Washington, where he attended high school. He did his undergraduate study at Western Washington University, in Belingham, Washington, majoring in history and anthropology. He also earned a master’s degree in history and museum studies from the Cooperstown Graduate program, a division of the New York State University system.
His favorite historic sites so far in Franconia are Ward’s Corner, the collection of businesses, a movie theater/performance hall, restaurant and grocery store that were located on Franconia Road, and the historic Ashland house, which still stands on Walhaven Drive. Fellow board member Cary Nalls is the grandson of the founder of Ward’s Corner. Woodie Smith, Franconia’s first paid fireman, was born at Ashland. He was the father of Mary Smith, a long-time board member and adviser.
Wayne can usually be found at the Museum on Wednesdays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Museum is also open at those same hours on Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.
Check out our previous history blogs and other information on our web site, franconiamuseum,org.
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FRANCONIA REMEMBERS
FRANCONIA REMEMBERS
This is one of the Franconia Museum’s occasional articles highlighting the area history. If you would like for a friend to receive these FREE articles, contact us at franconiamuseum@yahoo.com. Memberships are also encouraged so we can continue our work. The Museum is located in the Franconia Government Center, currently located at 6121 Franconia Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22310. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The Museum is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization as approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
Join or contribute to the Franconia Museum electronically by accessing Franconiamuseum.org and clicking on Become a Member. You also can join the old fashioned way by mailing a check made payable to the Franconia Museum at 6121 Franconia Road 22310. Levels of membership and giving are presented below.
The Museum soon will move into new quarters at the relocated Franconia Government Center on Beulah Street near its intersection with the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. We need your help to make the move, so please consider contributing or becoming a member for this year. Contributions in excess of the membership fee are encouraged and greatly appreciated. The Museum is a volunteer effort, but there also are costs for insurance of our artifacts, printing and postage. Please help!
We are a tax-exempt, volunteer organization. There are no fund-raising costs! Come see us and learn about our past, present and future! Join us as a new member, renew your 2024 membership, or become a Lifetime or Founding member. We need to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors, and need volunteers to help man the Museum on Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat.
Annual dues $25.00
Donation $______________
Total Enclosed $_____________
or Lifetime Member…$350.00 (one-time payment) ____________
or Founding Member…$1,000.00 (one-time payment) __________
Join or contribute to the Franconia Museum electronically by accessing Franconiamuseum.org and clicking on Become a Member. You also can join the old fashioned way by mailing a check made payable to the Franconia Museum at 6121 Franconia Road 22310. Levels of membership and giving are presented below.
The Museum soon will move into new quarters at the relocated Franconia Government Center on Beulah Street near its intersection with the Franconia-Springfield Parkway. We need your help to make the move, so please consider contributing or becoming a member for this year. Contributions in excess of the membership fee are encouraged and greatly appreciated. The Museum is a volunteer effort, but there also are costs for insurance of our artifacts, printing and postage. Please help!
We are a tax-exempt, volunteer organization. There are no fund-raising costs! Come see us and learn about our past, present and future! Join us as a new member, renew your 2024 membership, or become a Lifetime or Founding member. We need to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors, and need volunteers to help man the Museum on Mon-Tues-Wed-Sat.
Annual dues $25.00
Donation $______________
Total Enclosed $_____________
or Lifetime Member…$350.00 (one-time payment) ____________
or Founding Member…$1,000.00 (one-time payment) __________
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