Years ago, general stores and post offices were both a mainstay and a way of life in Mathews County. Much like other localities in Virginia, they were gathering spots and epicenters for each of the little communities within the county, and as time passed, almost every one of them disappeared.
Tommy Hunley was an employee of the Virginia Power Company and as part of his job, he traveled throughout the county and would get to know each of the owners of the various general stores. As each general store met its fate, Tommy Hunley would acquire much of the products and artifacts from the stores, and keep them in his own one room building on Church Street. “All of the contents were original, no reproductions and many are one-of-a-kind or one-of-a-few,” says Ray Hunley, Tommy’s son, and a lifelong
resident of Mathews. A former Commissioner of Revenue in Mathews, Ray Hunley is
now the ersatz post master of Mathews’ “newest general store and post office,” which is
now a permanent exhibit at the Mathews Museum. Hunley has donated both a
significant collection of his father’s general store/post office memorabilia as well as
many hours of his personal time, lovingly and patiently recreating a “mini” general store
within the walls of the Museum. And he may be found at times at the Hunley General
Store, telling stories and meeting with visitors and residents of the county!
Hunley said that it was his father’s wishes that the collection be preserved and made
available to the citizens of Mathews and visitors to the county. Ray Hunley has honored
his father’s wishes and determined that the collection could best be viewed at the
Museum. The exhibit opened in June and hundreds of visitors have since passed
through its doors. The Mathews Museum is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from
now through the December. “There is no cost and visitors are welcome,” says Ray.
