Museum of the Waxhaws

In recent months (Spring 2019), the Museum of the Waxhaws has renewed our purpose, our vision for the future of our community and society, and our role in bringing about that future. Decades ago, we were established as a memorial to the 7th President of the US, Andrew Jackson, a native son of the Colonial Settlement of the Waxhaws, parts of Union and Lancaster counties including Waxhaw, Lancaster, Weddington, Marvin, Mineral Springs, Wesley Chapel and Monroe. We chose then to represent the history from the mid-18th to the early 20th centuries. Today, that scope is more deep and broad.

Our region has been the site of significant intercultural encounters with lasting ramifications since European explorers first encountered the Waxhaw Indians in the 1600s, including significant numbers of European settlers and African slaves that powered our longstanding cotton economy. Important cultural encounters continue today.

Many of our European-origin settlers came down the Great Wagon Road from New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey. We consider this group the First Wave of Northern immigration. Today, we call the multitude of newcomers settling in our region the Second Wave, and we’re happy that our cousins are no longer so distant. (We also don’t blame you for waiting until the invention of air conditioning.) We recognize that we all have much in common, whether your forbears and family came here centuries ago or last week, whether from another county, another state, or another nation.

We hope to foster community, understanding, and reconciliation by telling more of our stories. Some will be joyful. Some will be inspiring. Some will be cautionary. Some will be hard truths aimed at reconciliation. We will share these narratives to elevate our historical awareness, our sense of place, and our unity in diversity.

The Museum of the Waxhaws is open three days a week to the public with field trips and group visits occurring as scheduled throughout each week. We are a private nonprofit organization.

We appreciate the support from private and public entities and government grants designated to help keep the arts and history alive in our region.