We found an interesting booklet from 50 years ago titled “Virginia Shrines of Independence.” It’s a guide to Revolutionary sites in Virginia; it came out before the nation’s bicentennial in 1976; and it contains some shocking omissions.

“There is hardly a spot in Virginia untouched by the Revolutionary War,” the introduction begins. “Wherever you are, you need but look around you to find a field where history was made, a hill that served as a stronghold, a stream crossed on the way to a battle, or a home made famous by its short- or long-term residents.”

And so forth.

Naturally we turned to the alphabetical listing of counties and cities to find out what our ancestors, tucked nicely in the family sedan, could have found of interest locally.

Answer: practically zip.

Whoever compiled this little book noted that Gloucester County, then as now, had Abingdon Church and Ware Church, survivors from before the Revolution.

These churches, still in use and serving their original purposes as houses of worship, do more than rest upon their deep histories. They are alive, and are active in community outreach and contributions.

But in the booklet, nothing else from Gloucester is mentioned in regard to revolutionary history. Glaring omission: reference to the Battle of the Hook, a definitive struggle of 1781 that help the nation gain its independence. And there was one other notable omission, see below. Also missing from Gloucester are the connections of Seawell’s Ordinary and Warner Hall to the Revolution.

There is nothing listed from Mathews, which was, after all, a part of Gloucester County during the Revolution. But it’s been Mathews County since 1791 and if the compilers had been paying attention, they would have noted The Battle of Gwynn’s Island, aka The Battle of Cricket Hill. Just one week after delegates from the colonies declared their independence in Philadelphia, July 4, 1776, the last royal governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, was driven from the colony forever in the action at Cricket Hill.

Let’s hope the upcoming semiquincentennial publications take better note of the historical riches that surround us.

Note to readers: We plan to do better with a special 250 section in preparation for July 2. There is much to celebrate here, and we plan to do so.