Museum newsletter

HILLTOP ECHOES

Volume VI, Number 2………….……………….………………..……………Spring 2009

Newsletter of the Friends of the Museum and the Museum Auxiliary of the Caldwell Heritage Museum, Inc., 112 Vaiden Street, Lenoir, NC 28645

In this newsletter:
Four Fifths in 2009 | Renovations and improvements | Board of Directors members and activities | Main floor displays
Volunteers & contributors | Museum attendance

Also: Open House for Bethel Colony | Civil War re-enactment in Lenoir | Some history

(Pictures in this newsletter are thumbnails. Click on them for larger versions.)

RENOVATIONS AND IMPROVMENTS

After the Museum Assessment Program report was studied, the Museum Board of Directors determined that Rest Room Renovations were the highest priority. A committee was appointed, Elizabeth Crotts, designer, was consulted, and the first bid was $35,000.00. Since the committee had hoped to keep the project to about $20,000, they requested changes to lower the price without sacrificing quality. The revised sum was $26,500. Three modifications were made and the final bid total was $28,000. A few problems were encountered in the process that added some additional cost.

In the meantime, when it was thought that the cost was be $15,000 above budget, some supporters were approached about making a special contribution to help with the excessive amount. Pledges of $15,000 made by the Broyhill Family Foundation, the Stevens Family Foundation, the Wilson Family Foundation, the Harper Family, and Anne and Alex Bernhardt Foundation, a component fund of the North Carolina Community Foundation. With the cost reduction, the pledges covered one-half of the renovations. Some of the pledges have already been paid, while others will pay later.

Starcross Builders began work on March 3. They gutted the two downstairs restrooms, installed new flooring, new fixtures, a hot water heater, lowered the ceilings, and replaced a window in the men’s room. They painted the walls and waxed the floors. They did not interfere with the daily operation of the Museum, and they did extras that were not a part of their contract.

Elizabeth Crotts donated her time and expertise. She is the person responsible for the selection of fixtures, the colors, the tile, and the accessories. She is another one who has gone the extra mile. Dr. Jeff Church with the Caldwell County Schools has been most cooperative as well.

The rest rooms were finished in time for the first of the “Four Fifths” held on March 29. The rest room renovation is the first of several projects that the Board of Directors is planning.

The rest rooms are not the only thing with a different look. Additional lighting in the Reading Room has been needed for sometime. The Caldwell County Historical Society financed the project and Gibbons Electric did the work. The former “Business Machines” room on the second floor is now the “Children’s Room,” and it is dedicated to toys and other items of interest to children. The Potpourri Room has been re-organized and will be called the “Tools for Business, Farm and Home.” Other areas are being upgraded as well.
The Board of Directors expresses appreciation to Elizabeth Crotts, Starcross Builders, the Broyhill Family Foundation, the Stevens Family Foundation, the Wilson Family Foundation, the Harper Family, the Caldwell County Historical Society, Anne and Alex Bernhardt Foundation, and everyone else who has had a part in these renovations and improvements.

Workmen from Starcross Builders in the beginning stages of the rest room renovation.

Starcross Builder employees installing fixture and doing trim work in the ladies restroom near the end of the project.

Finished ladies' room.

For more imrpovements, also see A Little Light on the Subject (below)

LIVING HISTORY

The Caldwell Heritage Museum will join with the Caldwell County Historical Society, Saint James’ Episcopal Church, Lenoir Uptown Business Association, Caldwell Arts Council, the Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce and the Sons of Confederate Veterans to sponsor a Living History Re-enactment of Stoneman’s Raid on April 25, 2009, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Activities will include a Civil War-era wedding, a court martial, interaction with Federal troops and Confederate prisoners., and a prison escape. The Museum and the Arts Council will be open, and Saint James’ Church will have guided tour sof the Oertel Art. Beards will be judged from 9 to 9:30 a.m. at Central Barber Shop. “Southern” meals can be purchased at Sister Futz Café and Our Place Restaurant. Come early and support the March of Dimes Walk through downtown Lenoir at 10 a.m.

Caldwell County Historical Society members prepare refreshments for the first of the Fifth Sunday Open Houses on March 29.

Walter & Jacquelyn Ford explain African items to visitors during the first Fifth Sunday Open House on March 29.

FOUR FIFTHS in 2009: Open each fifth Sunday from 3-5 p.m.

May 31, 2009: Blue Bell Memorabilia Display

Jerry Goodnight, Author of Searching For Lincoln.

Special Guests: Former Blue Bell employees

August 30, 2009: Sports Memorabilia Display

Dr. David G. Moore, Archaeologist

Supervisor of the Burke County Joara/Fort San Juan Dig

Calendars for 2010 * Christmas Cards

November 29, 2009: Shop ‘Til You Drop

Special Discounts * Interesting Items * Hot Cider and Cookies * A Visit with Santa

The “Four Fifths in 2009” will replace the annual Open House usually held on the second Sunday in September of each year.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: At least three to five volunteers who will greet visitors and work in the gift shop are needed for each of the Four Fifths Sundays. Also volunteers who will furnish simple refreshments would be helpful. Contact the Museum to volunteer.

Rev. Wanda Howell, Vice-President, of the County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance/Lenoir-Caldwell County presents a donation check to Museum treasurer, Judy Beal. Also pictured are Rev. Jimmy Norwood, Alliance Treasurer; John Hawkins, Museum Director, and Rev. Alvin Brown, Public Relations for the Alliance. (Photo by David Prewitt.)

Michael Hardy leads in the March 9 Civil War Roundtable Discussion at the Museum, sponsored by the J. J. Pettigrew Sons of Confederate Veterans Camp 1401.

OPEN HOUSE FOR BETHEL COLONY

Open House for Bethel Colony of Mercy will be held July 25, 2009, beginning at 4 p.m. The Bethel residents will tour the Museum followed by a cookout. Bethel Colony has provided and continues to provide many services for the Museum, and this is a way to show appreciation for their support. Those wishing to contribute food, finances, or service may call the Museum. The Open House is hosted by the Board of Directors and it is one of the most rewarding and the most appreciated events of the year.

Grainger Beal volunteers for the First Fifth Sunday Open House.

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION

National Volunteer Week is April 19-25, 2009, and AJ’s Prime Sirloin is partnering with the Caldwell Heritage Museum again this year to recognize Museum Volunteers. All volunteers with more than 10 hours of service will be given a certificate, and volunteers who have given over 50 hours of service during 2008 will receive a free meal from AJ’s Prime Sirloin. The qualifying volunteers for the free meal are: Lib Barnette, Judy Beal, Kathryn Jackson, Donna Shane, Charles Triplett, and Barbara Watson. All volunteers will be honored with pizza on April 21 at noon at the Museum. Congratulations to the volunteers and a special “Thank You” to AJ’s Prime Sirloin.

EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE

…to Lynda Campbell, David Hinson and Dustin Turnmyre for preparing the Winter Hilltop Echoes for mailing…to David Hinson, Dustin Turnmyre, Ray Church, and Don Rush for helping with a special mailing…to Charles Beck and the City of Lenoir for installing a street light across from the Museum…to Bob Hensley for repairing the broken mail box post and helping with the Potpourri Room display…to the Caldwell County Historical Society for refreshments and volunteering for the first quarter “Four Fifths”… to Jason Harpe for hosting the Board of Directors of their field trip to Lincoln County…to the Caldwell County Historical Society for lighting in the Reading Room…to the County Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance for a generous offering taken at the Black History service….

MUSEUM ATTENDANCE

Museum attendance for the first quarter of 2009: January, 165; February, 231; March, 311. Attendance first quarter is 705, an average of 235 per month. Groups who visited: Historical Society Exec.Committee, Museum Board of Directors, New Horizons Adult Day Care, William Lenoir Middle After-School Program, Calvary Advent Christian Church Senior Adults, West Caldwell High School Ninth Grade Social Studies, Cedarbrook Adult Care, Marion, Cub Scouts, Civil War Round Table, and Smith Memorial United Methodist Church.

BOARD HIGHLIGHTS

The Caldwell Heritage Museum Board of Directors met on Thursday, January 15, 2009, at 4 p.m. at the Museum. The minutes, financial report, and the Museum Director’s reports were all approved. Officers for 2009: Bob Booth, Chairperson; Bill Kincaid, Vice-Chairperson; Ann Miller, Secretary; Judy Beal, Treasurer. Committees were appointed. Regular board meetings are scheduled on third Thursday of first month of each quarter.

At the regular meeting the group discussed the Rest Room Renovation project and requested more information. The Board had a special meeting regarding the project on February 11 and requested the cost for three modifications. After being notified of the additional costs via e-mail, Board members approved the bid and gave the go-ahead to begin the project.

The minutes are a matter of public record and can be seen at the Museum during regular working hours.

The Board met on two additional occasions to discuss the Rest Room renovation project. See information elsewhere in this newsletter about the project.

Board members listen as Jason Harpe, CEO of Lincoln Historical Association, tells them about the iron industry in Lincoln County.

LINCOLN COUNTY FIELD TRIP

Eight members of the Museum’s Board of Directors and one guest visited the Lincoln County Historical Association on February 26. They toured the Lincoln Cultural Center, had a Dutch-treat lunch at Corner Square Grill in Lincolnton, and then visited some properties owned or managed by the Association. Jason Harpe, along with his assistant, Tina Guffey, led the group in the day’s activities. This is the second field trip that Board members have taken at their own expense in an effort to broaden their vision of what Museums are doing.

COUPON EXCHANGE

Coupon clippers are invited to bring their extra coupons to the Museum to exchange for coupons found there.
The Coupon Exchange is located in the lobby.

Bob Hensley and two Bethel Colony men revamp the Potpourri Room, now called the “Tools for Business, Home, and Farm” Room.

(See the starred items on the exhibits page for the revised displays.)

Toys in the new children's exhibit.

From the Museum Director………………………………………...….John O. Hawkins

A LITTLE LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT

It has been an enlightening time around the Museum. For several years we have noticed when we had nighttime activities, it was difficult for people to see as they entered or left the building. We have a light fixture over the front door, but it is so high that we cannot reach it to change the burned-out bulb. I’m sure the original bulb placed there when the building was erected in 1926 is still there!

The Board of Directors authorized me to contact Duke Power about a security light. When a representative came, he suggested that a street light installed by the City would serve the same purpose. So I contacted the City, and, to make a long story short, we now have a nice street light on Vaiden Street in front of the Museum. Now when we have an activity at night, people can see, and they can get to and from their vehicles safely. We plan to replace the fixture over the front door soon.

The Reading Room also seemed to be dark especially on overcast days. The room is used for Board meetings, Historical Society Executive Committee meetings, and other similar activities, as well as by individuals who are doing research. The Caldwell County Historical Society was looking for a special Museum project so I suggested that they might fund additional lighting in the room. The Society’s Executive Committee gave a “thumbs up,” and now we have a well-lighted Reading Room…even on dark days.

Since one improvement always calls for another, the Society decided to brighten up the back hallway as well. Again Gibbons did the work and the Society paid the bill.

And I cannot tell you how much lighter and brighter the Rest Rooms are after the renovation. Seeing is believing!

For some time as we have needed to replace light bulbs (and it seemed to be quite often), we have been using Energy Smart Five-Year bulbs. These bulbs are a little more expensive initially, but they are more economical in the long run because they are designed to save energy and to last longer. We are even keeping records of when the bulb is installed. Anyone who lives on a budget knows how important it is to save a few pennies here and there.

Since the Museum’s mission is to enlighten (actually the word in our Mission Statement is educate), adequate lights are needed. Thanks to the City and the Historical Society, we’re a step closer with physical lighting. Thanks to those citizens who sixty ago had the dream of a Museum in Caldwell County, and to those who over twenty years ago began to make the dream come true, the Museum is enlightening our patrons about the history of Caldwell County.

Come “see” us!

MAIN FLOOR DISPLAYS

April-June 2009 – Blue Bell Memorabilia. Dorothy Land and JoAn Vannoy Collections.

July-September 2009 – Sports Memorabilia. Kevin LeFever Collection

October 2009 – Four- H Club Memorabilia

November-December 2009 – Christmas Display.

Currently scheduling displays for 2010. Contact Charles Triplett at the Museum with suggestions.

South Caldwell student, Blake Canterbury, uses the Museum’s Reading Room (Library) to do research for his Senior Project.

LENOIR AS SEEN BY A VISITOR (1897)

Lenoir is the county seat of Caldwell County and is the terminus of the Chester and Lenoir Narrow Gauge railroad. It has grown much in population, in building and business interests in the past four or five years. It has a population of about 1,250. Many new and beautiful residences adorn the hills among which it is nestled, and other improvements are going on. It has become quite a place of business, sort of a center of the lumber trade, with fruits, vegetables, livestock etc., large quantities being shipped to all parts of the country, lumber sometimes going across the Atlantic Ocean. It has roller mills, a furniture factory, with some other industries, that produce much money. A representative of one of the lumber companies, and that not the largest one, told the writer that his company paid out more than $1,000 per week, which will make more than $50,000 a year for lumber alone to say nothing of what was paid to employees. There are three or four more companies doing the same business. Everything wears the marks of seeming thrift. IT has two newspapers—the weekly Topic and the Visitor which is issued twice a week. There are four churches—the Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Episcopalian. Davenport Female College under the presidency of Prof. J. D. Minick occupies a commanding position on a high hill overlooking the town. The school is now open to males as well as females. The Attendance during the last term was good.

Statesville, Christian Herald. July 6, 1897

John Hawkins, Museum Director, and volunteers fold newsletters for mailing.