An exhibit that opened Saturday at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown honors the lives and philanthropy of the late Nick and Mary Mathews, beloved York-town restaurateurs.
Timed just before the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, “Patrons & Patriots” is a fitting salute to a couple who embodied the American dream, according to a release from the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, which operates the museum.
On the eve of America’s 1976 bicentennial, the couple donated the land for the Yorktown Victory Center, now known as the American Revolution Museum at York-town. For nearly 50 years, millions of museum visitors have benefited from the legacy of their gift, learning about the ideals and freedoms of the American Revolution and the significance of the Siege of Yorktown to secure American independence.
Nick and Mary Mathews, natives of Greece who emigrated to the United States, met in New York City and married in July 1942. They moved to Yorktown,...