Culture & Cocktails
Genealogist Pam Anderson presents “The Two Emilie Lawrence Reeds of Blue Ridge Summit” at the October 2025 Culture & Cocktails event.
Washington County Historical Society program helps local residents preserve their history and get to know their roots
By Laura Forrest Hopfauf
Culture and Cocktails isn’t just a lecture. It’s an immersive engagement as soon as you step through the front door of the Miller House, a pristinely restored and well-kept home dating back to the 1860s that has served as the headquarters of The Washington County Historical Society and a local history museum since 1966.
There’s the wallpaper that’s as detailed and ornate as a painting. There’s the restored antiques—mirrors and lamps, clocks and mantels—that hold the kind of promise things bought today from box stores often don’t, one of lasting quality, one of investment and craftmanship. There’s the massive circular staircase in the middle of the house that hangs quite literally as a piece taking a step out of time, an active call to the past, a pathway to our predecessors. And outside the back door there is a lawn that feels like an oasis in the middle of downtown.
Home to more than 20,000 historical artifacts, history hangs in every corner of the Miller House, not as an oppressive professor spewing facts but as a relaxed friend with a drink in their hand, a story to tell, and an open seat at their table. And that’s how Culture and Cocktails feels as an event, too.
Established in 2017, Culture and Cocktails happens the second Friday of every month from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Miller House and consists of a historical lecture paired with a themed cocktail. Typically, guests arrive 15 to 30 minutes ahead of time. Admission includes one free drink ticket.
“We offer refreshments, currently catered by Tara’s Table. We offer a special cocktail of the evening,” says Abigail Koontz, curator and program manager of the Washington County Historical Society. “The talk begins at 6 p.m. when we introduce our speaker, there is an intermission halfway through the speaker’s talk, and the talk typically ends by 7:30 pm. Although some speakers use the entire two-hour time slot.”
Culture & Cocktails at the Washington County Historical Society.
Topics at Culture and Cocktails are as varied as their matching drinks. Speakers have focused on everything from archaeology to family histories to architecture to individual life stories. Drinks in the past year have included Cranberry Pomegranate Bellini, the Salty Dog, a Harvey Wallbanger, and one of the prior owners of the Miller House, Dr. Victor Miller’s personal punch recipe.
Ultimately Culture and Cocktails is a space for people to share history and keep it going into the future.
“I love that Culture and Cocktails provides an opportunity for people to share their historical passions, projects, and interests with the public. Many of our speakers have poured their hearts and careers into the historical topics they share at Culture and Cocktails,” Koontz says.
The attendees at Culture and Cocktails aren’t only history buffs. People have found their way to the event through all different sorts of channels. For some it was a pure love of history. For others, it was a way to meet people and be more involved in their community. More than a few came to the Miller House on a quest to learn about their own family history by using the kinship Family Heritage Research Center, a genealogy library containing diaries, maps, books, letters, and other materials to help visitors research their ancestral roots, housed in the lower level of the Miller House, and found themselves wanting to be more involved with the Washington County Historical Society. But everyone here is welcoming and open to discussing whatever personal quest brought someone to the Miller House.
Laura Lane-Unsworth, vice president of the Washington County Historical Society, promises, “We have something for everyone.”
Overall, Culture and Cocktails is a great introduction to the Washington County Historical Society. A non-profit organization with more than 360 members that support and preserve our local history in a way that is meaningful and accessible to all. Whether you’re looking for an interesting way to enjoy a cocktail on a Friday night, where your great-grandfather lived in Washington County, or the history of an older home you own, Washington County Historical Society is here and wants to help.
“The Washington County Historical Society exists to preserve Washington County’s history. We are passionate about keeping our county’s history alive and sharing its history with our membership and the public,” Koontz says. “Our staff and volunteers work daily to preserve historical artifacts, photography, and documents, and our programs are built to share Washington County’s history with the public as much as we can.”