Finding location for county museum a priority for Stafford leaders

STAFFORD — Stafford County was founded in 1664. It is rich with the history of the Patawomeck tribe, revolutionary figures, civil war battles, and much more. However, despite a deep historical background, Stafford County does not have a museum.

In a document county officials refer as a 2040 Vision and Strategic Plan, the Board of Supervisors has expressed the desire to start planning and building a Stafford County Museum and Cultural Center.

One of the goals of the museum is to focus on younger generations to introduce them to a love for history.

Stafford County Commissioner of Revenue Scott Mayausky is the president of the Stafford County Museum and Cultural Center, a private foundation that focuses on trying to promote the museum. The foundation is working along with the Stafford Historical Society to develop a plan for the museum.

“Stafford’s history is American history,” Mayausky said. “We need to tell our story not only to Stafford residents but to the world.”

One of the County Board of supervisors three-year priorities is to identify a location for the museum. While currently there are no officially proposed locations, several spots have been discussed, including a newly planned courthouse building once it has been constructed.

The fiscal impact of the museum has yet to be evaluated, but once a location has been chosen the board will have more specific estimates of how much the museum will cost.

Funding for the museum will come from grants, fundraisers, and a portion of the Transient Occupancy tax. The Transient Occupancy tax is a five percent tax on the total room rental in hotels. It has yet to be determined how much of the Transient Occupancy tax will go toward financing the museum.

The museum will include several exhibits and artifacts detailing Stafford’s history. People can donate historical documents, photographs, letters, or diaries to the museum by scanning them and emailing [email protected].

Building a museum in Stafford is not a new idea; however monetary restrictions and limited funding have prevented a museum from being built.

In addition to building a museum, another one of the Board of Supervisors three-year priorities is to start construction of a field house to promote recreation and sports tourism.