What Remains: A FAM Podcast

We took a break over the summer, but What Remains is back soon!

Get a first listen to the Season 2 trailer and stay tuned for new episodes exploring the stories and history that continue to shape our community. Season 2 coming soon!

In this special episode of What Remains, Kylie and Clarissa discuss FAM’s newest exhibition, Witness to a Revolution: 250 Years of History. They share behind-the-scenes stories from the exhibit planning process, explore how artifacts are selected, and highlight a few featured objects, including Revolutionary-era portraits and items connected to the Bicentennial. Tune in for a closer look at the stories and artifacts that bring Fredericksburg’s revolutionary history to life.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode of What Remains, Kylie and Clarissa explore Fredericksburg’s Soap Box Derby history through two derby cars in the Fredericksburg Area Museum collection.

Learn about William Street races, local champions, trailblazing female racers, and where derby racing continues in the region today.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode, Kylie and Clarissa step into the Victorian era to explore how music shaped life at home. They highlight two artifacts from the Chewning House—a portable melodeon and a hand-cranked Regina music box—and what they reveal about technology, social life, and the role of music in the 19th century. They also connect these historic sounds to Fredericksburg’s music scene today and invite you to see the instruments on display in the museum.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

Join us as Kylie and Clarissa welcome our special guest, Reverend Hashmel Turner for a meaningful conversation about the 23rd Regiment United States Colored Troops.

Together, they explore the powerful story of the first Black soldiers to engage in combat against the Confederate Army during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. The discussion also highlights how their courage and legacy are honored today, and why their story continues to matter.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

Join us as Kylie and Clarissa welcome our special guest, Reverend Hashmel Turner for a meaningful conversation about the 23rd Regiment United States Colored Troops.

Together, they explore the powerful story of the first Black soldiers to engage in combat against the Confederate Army during the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. The discussion also highlights how their courage and legacy are honored today, and why their story continues to matter.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode of What Remains, Kylie and Clarissa take a closer look at a familiar household object with an unexpected story: a 19th-century stoneware crock from the FAM collection. Once used for everyday food storage, this piece becomes far more meaningful thanks to the name stamped on its side, “E. L. Heinichen, Fredericksburg, VA.”

That single detail leads to the life of Edward L. Heinichen, a German immigrant and Fredericksburg shopkeeper who witnessed the Civil War firsthand. Through personal writings and historic photographs, we explore how Heinichen’s experiences during the Battle of Fredericksburg are preserved through this humble object.

This episode highlights how even the most ordinary artifacts can connect us to extraordinary moments in Fredericksburg’s past.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode, Kylie and Clarissa are back from our holiday hiatus to chat about the Princess Anne Hotel, once located at 904 Princess Anne Street and one of Fredericksburg’s most recognizable buildings. The story begins with a unique countertop advertisement board once used in the hotel’s lobby, leading us into the hotel’s past as a center of travel, events, and community life.

From its 1914 opening as a modern luxury hotel to visits from figures like Gloria Swanson and Winston Churchill, the Princess Anne played an important role in Fredericksburg’s story. We also look at the people who worked there, the changes that led to its closure in the 1970s, and how the building lives on today as the Princess Anne Building.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode, we pull Kylie and Clarissa out of the collections to get to know them as hosts, learn how they found their way to FAM, and hear about their favorite things around the museum.

They also share a sneak peek at what’s coming up in 2026, including the 250th anniversary exhibit and a new food-focused exhibit. The podcast will take a short break for the holidays and return on January 6, 2026.

Please note: you may hear some background noise during this episode due to construction on the building next door at the time of recording. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.

In this episode of What Remains, Kylie and Clarissa take listeners inside the museum’s textile collection, exploring not just one object but several remarkable garments.

From memorable dresses to surprising fabric finds, they share some of their favorite pieces and the unique stories stitched into each one. It’s a behind the scenes look at how clothing can illuminate personal histories, local culture, and the changing fashions of Fredericksburg’s past.

Music Credit: "Phantom Waltz Dance" by Stocktune, used with permission.