From Window Displays to Under the Tree: The Holiday Season in Mid-20th-Century Lynchburg

Between 1945 and 1965 many Lynchburg families relied on shops and department stores along Main Street for their holiday shopping needs. They “bought local” from businesses like S.O. Fisher, Leggett’s, and Miller & Rhoads. Take a peek under the tree of a Lynchburg home on Christmas Day in the mid-20th century, filled with gifts from Main Street. See the famous Leggett’s Santa Claus that greeted downtown shoppers for decades.

The Lynchburg Museum’s newest mini-exhibit opens on Friday, December 1, during First Fridays, 5:00–8:00 p.m. The exhibit will be on display at the Lynchburg Museum, 901 Court Street, through January 29, 2024. Admission is always free. See LynchburgMuseum.org for open days and hours.