Schuyler
Nelson County, Virginia
By Jennie T. Williams
For the first time since 1973, John-Boy Walton is coming home to Schuyler.
Richard Thomas played John-Boy, the oldest of seven children, in the hit tv series The Waltons from 1971 to 1981. He visited Earl Hamner, The Waltons’ creator, and his mother in Schuyler, the town where the show takes place, in the early 1970s, but due to scheduling conflicts hasn’t been able to make it back for any other cast reunions or Waltons Mountain Museum events since.
“Any time I do anything related to the show it feels like a homecoming,” said Thomas. “But I was only in Schuyler once — many, many, many, many, many, years ago. So while it’s a homecoming in the sense that I’ll be connected to the show again, it’s actually sort of a first-time thing for me.”
Thomas is the special guest of the Waltons Mountain Museum 25th Anniversary weekend, Oct. 20-22. Events for the weekend include several autograph shows, featuring Richard Thomas and other special surprise guests, a banquet programs, and a ribbon cutting ceremony for a new addition to the Museum, the Pony Cart Room.
“We’ve made some wonderful additions to the Hamner home to keep Earl’s legacy alive,” said Ray Castro, a third owner of the Waltons Hamner House, formerly the Hamner Homeplace. “And that’s basically what our goal is: to make sure that The Waltons and Earl’s work and his legacy continue long after we’re gone.”
Thomas remembers Hamner, who was born and raised in Schuyler and passed away in 2016 at the age of 92, as a true southern gentleman.
“He had a great run so want whatever he was having,” said Thomas. “He obviously was the father of our show and the father of our success. He was a wonderful writer and a terrific man with a great sense of humor and a very generous spirit.”
The weekend of events kicks off on Friday October 20th at 11:30 AM until 12 Noon at the new Walton’s Hamner House. Richard Thomas will cut the ribbon there officially opening the home.
To purchase tickets for that weekend or get more information, head on over to the Earl Hamner Storyteller website by clicking here.
I’m confused by your comments. I thought the Special Guests were not going to be revealed until the Saturday night dinner as a surprise to Richard Thomas. Now you are saying they will be at the ribbon cutting on Friday. Which is it? And I don’t see other people’s questions being answered either. Thank you.
WOULD OF BEEN GREAT IF HE CAME TO EARL’S BELOVED MOUNTAIN WHILE EARL WAS ALIVE..THE FANS ALWAYS ASK EARL WHEN YOU BOTH WOULD BE TOGETHER TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS
AND HE ALWAYS TOLD US YOU WERE BUSY DOING ANOTHER
PROJECT. HE SAID HE DIDNT GIVE UP HOPE THAT YOU WOULD COME BACK. I THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE TIME TO COME BACK TO HIS
HOMEPLACE AGAIN AND SIT ON THE FRONT STEPS AS YOU DID WHEN YOU VISITED HIS HOMEPLACE.
THANK YOU AGAIN
POLLY
I love this show because it reflects my roots. Richard, while having depicted the best character, has often seemed too high falooting as a person.
Hi Tommy, You should remember me I OWNED POLLY’S BED AND BREAKFAST IN FRONT OF THE HAMNER HOME AND INTRODUCED YOU TO JAMES HAMNER , WHICH JIM WAS ALWAYS AT MY PLACE OR ME UP AT HIS HOME. NOW THOSE WERE THE DAYS ,
SORRY I WONT BE ATTENDING THIS EVENT
AS I JUST HAD A KNEE REPLACEMENT.
YOU DO GOOD ARTICLES
POLLY CRUM
Oh gosh yes Polly! Of course I remember you! Send me your email address to info@blueridgelife.com I’ll enail you! Great to hear from you! Tommy
I loved meeting Richard Thomas! He was so sweet. He seemed down to earth to me. I hope he come back real soon. Love waltons and john boy