Summary
This session will introduce the evolution of place-naming in Virginia. We will start with a hands-on activity using the John Smith Floor Map (large version created by the Virginia Geographic Alliance) to explore Native American and early European toponyms. We will look at the impacts of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars on Virginia place names, and also examine the renaming of major highways in Loudoun (but not neighboring Fauquier) County in 2021. Finally, we will learn how Virginia’s unique political structure creates the roads with names that change from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Session participants will receive access to the VGA John Smith Floor Map Teacher Guide developed with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture.
Session Focus
Secondary/High School | Human and Cultural Geography | U.S. History
Conference Room
Lacy
Meet the Presenter
Maggie Creech, Director of History Education at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture, holds a BA in History and Archaeology from The George Washington University and an MA in Archaeology from the University College of London. At VMHC, her talented team oversees a variety of award-winning student, teacher, and public learning opportunities for all ages. She has over fifteen years of experience in public history, archaeology, and education – and is passionate about the power of place and object-based learning to create past-present connections and build empathy. In 2024, Maggie won the Virginia Council for Social Studies “Friend of Education” Award.
Alex Northrup is the Director of the Innovation Lab at Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia, where he also teaches AP Human Geography, AP Environmental Science, and Field Studies. He is a table leader for the AP Human Geography exam reading and is active with the Virginia Geographic Alliance, including serving as an instructor for Chesapeake Bay Climate Institute. He recently presented about place-names in Virginia at the International Conference on Geographic Naming and Geographic Education in Seoul, South Korea.
