The Mathews County Historical Society is working on a project to turn the second floor of Sibley’s General Store into a museum to house early Mathews County artifacts. When renovations are complete, the site will be a part of the Tidewater Virginia Historical Society Museum Trail.

Historical Society president Josie Thorpe said that Amanda Taylor, chairman of the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center, which owns Sibley’s and is headquartered there, knew the historical society was looking for a place for a museum and offered the space on a rental basis. Thorpe and historical society member Graham Hood, an authority on old buildings, enthusiastically agreed that Sibley’s would be a great location.

The front windows of the building look out onto Main Street, with Church Street and the historic court house just a short distance beyond. In addition, said Thorpe, “When you approach Mathews from Gloucester at the stop sign at Church and Main Street, the first ...