Visit Robert Thomas Carriage Museum

The Robert Thomas Carriage Museum was an idea established by Robert B. Thomas, Jr. and his wife, Marie, in 2000 to house his collection of carriages for the public to see and enjoy. A native of Nottoway County, Robert was a farmer and educator throughout his life. As a young boy, he had a horse and cart that he would drive to visit his grandfather in Danieltown. After high school, he started farming on the ancestral farm until he was drafted in 1954. Upon his return from military service, he used his GI Bill to get a degree in science from Longwood College and started his teaching career first in Amelia County, then Nottoway County. He later obtained a master’s degree in science from the University of North Carolina and received a professorship at Longwood College.

It was about this time in his life that he began to develop an interest in horse-drawn vehicles. His son and daughter were interested in riding horses, and he purchased his first two horses. Upon a visit to Altavista, Virginia, Mr. Thomas purchased his first horse-drawn vehicle, a runabout. This buggy needed some wheel restoration, but he had a hard time finding wheels that would fit. He could find various carriages, but no wheels, and thus began his collecting era. For the next twenty years, he traveled from Virginia to Pennsylvania purchasing carriages from auctions and from local people he met who informed him of a carriage located nearby. Mr. Thomas became a known figure in the carriage community by becoming a member of the Carriage Association of America and attending many of their national meetings and driving events.

Not only did Robert collect carriages, but he also had a keen interest in driving them, thus preserving a forgotten way of life. Many Blackstone residents fondly remember him driving in parades or renting his services and carriages for weddings. As the museum was being built, Robert obtained the services of Ted Hughes of Chalklevel Carriage and Buggy Works in Piney River, Virginia, who intricately restored each carriage before being installed in the museum.

Finally, in 2007 Robert’s dream finally came true and was completed, with the help of the Town of Blackstone and the grants they obtained from the Virginia Department of Transportation. In September of that year, the museum was opened to the public with twenty-six restored vehicles inside. By 2014, the number would increase to 35 with two having been donated by two Nottoway County residents. The Robert Thomas Carriage Museum is the second largest public display of carriages in Virginia (the largest being located at Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia).