Wayside Foundation of American History and Arts, Inc.

The Commonwealth of Virginia first chartered the Wayside Foundation of American History and Arts, Inc., on March 14, 1986, as a private non-profit organization "to encourage and enhance public appreciation, enjoyment, and knowledge of American History and Arts". The Wayside Foundation has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 ( c ) (3), contributions to which are deductible.

The By-laws, approved April 14, 1986, established a Foundation President who "shall in general supervise the affairs of the Corporation subject to the control of the Board of Directors". The first president was Leo M. Bernstein, the Founder. William Hammack followed him in 1995. Mr. Bernstein returned to the presidency in 1999.

The grand opening of Hupp's Hill Battlefield Park and Study Center was on July 4, 1991. The Hupp's Hill museum became an established interpretive center for the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley, with an emphasis on the Battle of Cedar Creek. Closed during the winter of 1996-7, the museum re-opened on May 10, 1997, with all new exhibits as Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill.

Utilizing Mr. Bernstein's 65-year collection of Presidential artifacts, which had been previously housed in various bank and hotel lobbies, work began at 130 North Massanutten Street during September, 1995, to build the one-of-a-kind exhibits comprising Museum of American Presidents, which opened on Presidents Day, February 19, 1996.

Mr. Bernstein deeded Battlefield Crystal Caverns, which had been operated as a commercial cave since 1922, to the not for profit Wayside Foundation and, after repairs were completed and exhibits had been prepared, the cave re-opened on June 27, 1998, as Crystal Caverns at Hupp's Hill.

Following her death in 1997, Jeane Dixon's family entrusted most of her personal estate to the Wayside Foundation. Her personal possessions, furnishings, and personal and professional papers are on exhibit at Jeane Dixon Museum and Library, which opened on March 1, 2002.

The Wayside Foundation Museums are committed to historic preservation and education, intrinsically reaffirming patriotism and social responsibility. To accomplish this mission, the Wayside Foundation Museums provide both in-house exhibits and outreach to the community. They offer exceptional exhibits, a full calendar of events, and 18 standard tours keyed to Virginia Standards of Learning.

From DC: I-66W to I-81S

From 1-81 southbound: Exit 298 to US-11S, ½ mile to Hupp's Hill (on the right, across from Virginia Savings Bank), 1-1/2 miles to History Square (on the left, just before the stop light).

From I-81 northbound: Exit 296 to US-55E, 2 miles to intersection with US-11; then either: for History Square, turn right on US-11S, ¼ mile, on left just before stop light; or for Hupp's Hill, left turn on US-11N, one mile, on left, across from Virginia Savings Bank

The Wayside Foundation Museums are closed on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

The Hupp's Hill museums are open daily year-round, 10 AM to 5 PM.

The History Square museums are open 10 AM to 5 PM on Friday/Saturday/ Sunday/Monday and by appointment from May through October and on Saturday/Sunday and by appointment from November through April.

Telephone for admission rates. Discounts are offered.

The Wayside Foundation of American History and Arts, Inc., a private not-for-profit organization, owns and operates four museums on two sites: Stonewall Jackson Museum and Crystal Caverns at Hupp's Hill Battlefield Park, and Museum of American Presidents and Jeane Dixon Museum and Library on History Square.

Built adjacent to trenches built on October 20, 1864, by the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 2nd Division, 6th US Corps, Stonewall Jackson Museum at Hupp's Hill serves as an interpretive center for the Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley. It exhibits Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign and three battles from the 1864 (Cedar Creek) Valley Campaign with a fine collection of Civil War artifacts and hand-on reproductions, interpretive guides, children's "haversack tour, and exhibits on the life of the soldier and Valley civilian. The children's room contains costumes to try on, wooden horses with cavalry tack to climb onto, a tent and camp furniture to play with, and discovery boxes to explore. An extensive in-house library is open for personal research. A quarter-mile interpreted walking trail allows the visitor to see original infantry trenches and artillery lunettes and other points of interest on the vista.

Crystal Caverns at Hupp's Hill, first documented in 1755, is the oldest-documented and northern-most show cave in Virginia. With many actively growing calcite formations, it includes fine displays of stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and flowstone. An interpretive center located in the caverns entrance building contains informative exhibits explaining the cave's geology, paleontology, and use from prehistoric times. Standar tours along the ¼ mile tour route feature small groups, while specially-scheduled lantern "illuminations" highlight the caverns' occupancy by Native Americans, local settlers, truant children and servants, and Civil War soldiers. Virginia's only two interpreted karst trails take visitors along the surface outline of Crystal Caverns and down into a sinkhole to a wild cave.

Museum of American Presidents contains an impressive display of presidential portraits, signatures, artifacts, and memorabilia from Mr. Bernstein personal 65-year collection. The museum features James Madison's desk, White House doors, a 120+ year old reproduction of Washington's Rising Sun Chair, and a large collection of original signatures of Presidents and signers of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution. The One Room School House, a children's hands-on area, contains reproduction colonial costumes to try on and discovery boxes to examine on antique school desks arranged around a potbellied stove and slate chalkboard.

Jeane Dixon Museum and Library tells the story of one of the most remarkable women of the 20th Century. Best known as the seer who correctly predicted the assassinations of John and Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi, Jeane was also a devoted wife, real estate executive, wartime volunteer, devout Catholic, animal lover, and humanitarian. The Museum contains her artifacts, pictures, memorabilia, awards, honoraria, furniture, clothing, artworks, cherished mementoes, and religious icons. The extensive research library contains hundreds of volumes on prophecy, paranormal studies, and presidential biographies, including books Mr. Dixon authored as well as those she collected and studied.