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Thank you, Local-ISH Art for the opportunity to give a presentation on the history of Strawberry Street inside the gallery located at 22 Strawberry Street, Cape Charles, Virginia at 5pm Saturday June 28th. This a free event and all are welcome to attend. Come early and peruse the wonderful art!
I love Day of the Dead imagery. Bright colors and skulls. And, of course I love Frida Kahlo.
Local-ISH Art is Coastal Virginia Magazine Best of Virginia’s Eastern Shore Readers Choice Awards 2025 Winner for best Art Gallery and Store. The Gallery occupies 18-22 Strawberry Street in the historic heart of Cape Charles. Local-ISH Art is a cooperative gallery with over 40 local artists producing fine art, pottery, photography, jewelry, art cards and gifts. The Gallery also offers classes and special events. Check their Facebook page for upcoming events.
Sally Fisher Wilson was the granddaughter of W. B. Wilson, a prominent businessman of Cape Charles, Virginia. A native of Northampton County, his endeavors included being one of the founders of the Cape Charles Ice and Lumber Company, building Wilson’s Department Store into the largest store on the Eastern Shore, being one of the founders of Cape Charles Real Estate Corporation, founding the Farmers & Merchants Bank, and the Farmers & Merchant Trust Bank.
W. B. Wilson‘s son Upshur Wilson was the President of the Farmers & Merchants Bank. He married Alisa Herkimer Eaton and had two daughters, Elizabeth Wilson b. 1912 and Sallie Fisher Wilson, both of which never married.
Elizabeth Wilson was living in Richmond, Virginia and working as a secretary at a tobacco manufacturer.
Her younger sister Sallie Wilson b. 1917 moved in with Elizabeth after graduating from Cape Charles High School in 1934. In high school, Sallie was student representative ‘32, Dramatics Club ‘34 and Art Editor of “Arrow” yearbook and described as having sparkling brown eyes.
From what I can tell, Sallie kept house for her sister and they lived in an apartment. Sallie must have had health problems perhaps with her heart. She died in 1980 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Richmond of congestive heart failure and respiratory failure at age 62. Her father had died of heart failure at age 65.
Elizabeth retired to Westminster Canterbury Assisted living facility. Edwin J. Leatherbury, Jr., whose Mother was Margaret Wilson, aunt to Elizabeth & Sallie, looked after Elizabeth until she passed in 1994. For a short time, Leatherbury worked in Richmond as an accountant. He had an accounting firm partnership in Onancock.
Both Sallie and Elizabeth Wilson are buried in the Cape Charles Cemetery.
Sallie’s Cape Charles High School class ring was sold in an estate sale sometime after her death. A lady who had moved to Richmond in the early 1980s had purchased it and had stored it away with other purchases. There it sat, forgotten for roughly 40 years, until she found it and put it up for sale online in early 2024.
I bought it and it is in amazing condition. It is 10k gold with a quality ruby red stone. It has a schooner on both sides. Manufactured by L.G. Balfour & Co. and engraved S.F.W. It is a very small size , approx. size 4. By the early 1940s the design had changed to a Virginia state seal on one side and a schooner on the other.
My hope is that someone, perhaps a family member will buy it and donate it to the Cape Charles Museum. It is in the online store on this website. I paid a lot for it and have priced it accordingly.
Here is the link to the store listing Sunday Historical Vintage
If you have any questions or interest in buying it, please contact me using the contact form on website.
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Laura Smith of Sunday Historical was asked to do research on the builder and the construction of a historical house in Cape Charles, VA that was being renovated by the 4th generation owner. Laura offered the film crew the use the Museum as a backdrop to film the scene where she presented the research to the owner of the house.
Although the historian presenting the research to the homeowner scene did not make the final cut, I do appear in the series during the housewarming party scene.
The show is about renovating old houses. The episode will feature the historic McMath house in Cape Charles and the story of all the love that went in to restoring it. The Housewarming Party in August 2024 was fantastic and was filmed for the end of the episode. Everyone who played a part in the restoration and all the wonderful neighbors were there. I am proud to have been a part of this wonderful journey and wish the owner a happy future in her family home. I would also like to commend the film crew who were very personable. The episode airs on Max and Apple TV on December 28, 2024.
Laura Smith
sundayhistorical.com
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