Who We Are
The Virginia Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia DAR) welcome you! We have 125 chapters and a combined total of over 9,800 members throughout our beautiful state. We are blessed to live in the home of many of our country’s Founding Fathers, and we celebrate our rich, historic heritage.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) is a non-profit, non-political, volunteer women's service organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America's future through better education. We would love to have you join us!
What We Do
Our members engage in wonderful activities all around the state. We welcome new citizens at naturalization ceremonies, greet veterans at their Honor Flights, sponsor high school essay competitions, send care packages to servicewomen stationed abroad, raise funds for Native American schools, restore and help preserve historic locations, place markers to honor American Revolutionary War soldiers, visit museums and historic landmarks, and so much more! To see just a small sample, visit our photo gallery.
Historic Preservation
Kenmore House. Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0.
Education
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Photo courtesy of York County Tourism.
Patriotism
Washington-Lewis Chapter WAA Mobile Exhibit. Photo courtesy of chapter member
Established in 1891
Virginia state pin.
Founded in 1891, Virginia DAR is a state organization within the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The work of the National Society is largely carried out by its nearly 3,000 chapters nationwide. Today there are over 190,000 current members and over one million women have joined DAR since it was founded.
State Officers
2022 - 2025 Administration
State Regent: Laurie Parker Nesbitt
State Vice-Regent: Jennifer Kuhlmann Inskeep
State Chaplain: Robin Hope Bagnall
State Recording Secretary: Adele G. Morris
State Corresponding Secretary: Priscilla Ellen (Penny) Cummiskey
State Organizing Secretary: Victoria Lynn Ritenour Dehlbom
State Treasurer: Kathleen Mayer Rugh
State Registrar: Susan Phillips Dewing
State Historian: Susan Manley Walls
State Librarian: Cheryl Lee Brown Davis
State Parliamentarian (Appointed): Katherine J. McClelland
State Assistant Treasurer (Appointed): Maureen Holbert
Juniors
A Junior Member is a DAR member age 18 through 35 years (until her 36th birthday). She holds full DAR membership, and when qualified, may serve as an officer and chair at the national, state, and chapter levels.
Virginia Juniors are college students, career women, and stay-at-home moms. Juniors join DAR for a variety of reasons and have diverse interests. Working together for a common goal forges many friendships and offers endless opportunities for personal and professional growth. Virginia DAR supports Junior Membership by encouraging active participation within all levels of the organization.
Juniors are the future of DAR, and Virginia Daughters are proud of our Juniors!
Scholarships
Listed below are the scholarships awarded by the Virginia DAR. No affiliation with the state or national societies is necessary to qualify for these scholarships. DAR members' children are also eligible to apply.
Click on the links for application information.
Virginia DAR Scholarship — All Majors
Four scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who plan to major in any field other than nursing. The winners MUST attend a Virginia college or university. Students applying to a Virginia community college transition program leading to a four-year degree and students who are home-schooled are also eligible to apply.
Two scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who will continue their education at an accredited Virginia school of nursing. Students applying to a Virginia community college transition program leading to a four-year degree and students who are home-schooled are also eligible to apply.
Click here for a Virginia State Scholarship Fact Sheet, a National DAR Scholarship Fact Sheet, a Cover Sheet and Financial Need form are also required. All forms are available from the links here, from local DAR chapters, or the State DAR Scholarship Chair. Some high school counselors may also have the forms.
All scholarship applications must be received by the State DAR Scholarship Chair not later than January 12.
For more information, contact the State Chair.
Virginia Room
The DAR Museum’s period rooms have evolved much over the past century. Many of the period rooms today occupy spaces in Memorial Continental Hall that were once the administrative offices of the National Society before the Administration Building was built.
Photo courtesy of NSDAR.
President General’s Dining Room 1912
The Virginia Room has always been furnished as a dining room. The furniture consisted of reproductions made out of mahogany. The carved marble state seal over the fireplace is now hung in the hall outside the room.
This room is sponsored by Virginia DAR. Photo courtesy of NSDAR.
Current Virginia Room
1810s Dining Room in Virginia
A Summer Meal
Don’t be late for dinner! If you pull up a chair at this family dinner, you’d expect to sit down sometime between 2:00 and 4:00 pm for the biggest meal of the day. You are joining this wealthy family for a casual summertime meal. You can tell the season because of the kind of food on the table. Before refrigerators and airplanes to store and carry food, most of what you ate had to be fresh and local. Here you can enjoy a small beef roast stuffed with onions, pan-fried perch, asparagus, stewed sweet potatoes, and a fruit pie.
“To Be A Virginian either by Birth, Marriage, Adoption, or even on one’s Mother’s side, is an Introduction to any State in the Union, a Passport to any Foreign Country, and a Benediction from Above.”