You think you know everything about your home; then you open a drawer or a closet and find an absolute treasure, overlooked and almost forgotten.

You think you know your hometown; then you stop in a small museum or art exhibit, and another dimension unveils its wonders. How much do you really know about the place you live?

The series, "Hometown Treasures," explores public museums, exhibits and archives open to all, and private collections available for viewing by appointment.

This week, we take a look at private collections; stories were compiled by members of the Gazette-Journal staff.

Faulkner’s appliance museum

Faulkner and Son on Main Street in Mathews might look like just another appliance store, but it has a second, less obvious purpose, as well. Inside the old store is a veritable history of Mathews County, written in a collection of appliances and household goods that date back more than a century.

Keith Faulkner, owner, says a lot of the items hav...