Membership Renewal Time!
- The Erwin
Historical Society, Inc. and museum are approaching the end of
another successful and rewarding year.
This letter is longer than the usual renewal letter because the Officers and Board of Directors wish to not only encourage you to renew your membership, but share news of recent donations, some concerns and challenges, and define the organization’s vision going forward, outline some needs, and discuss volunteer support activities in greater detail. In addition, we are making an appeal to our membership go the extra mile to help the Society, and its museum, continue to represent the collective memory of the more than one hundred and twenty years of the Duke/Erwin history.
The Society and museum need your support through both your membership renewals, as well as your donations of Duke or Erwin-related artifacts. These artifacts tell Duke/Erwin’s story.
Membership fees remain at $10 per individual per year or $15 per family or organization. Make your check out to the Erwin Historical Society, Inc., and mail it to P.O. Box 448 Erwin, NC 28339. Please know your continued support is very deeply appreciated.
As has been our custom for many years, in early October of this year, 375 students and 37 teachers and adult chaperones from Erwin Elementary School visited our museum. On two consecutive days before the Denim Day festival students in grades 1, 3, and 5 visited the Erwin History Museum while those in grades K, 2, and 4 visited the Erwin Library. This pioneer arrangement worked well for and was enjoyed by all who took part.
In recent months we have received several generous and interesting donations. We cannot mention them all but would like to highlight just a few. These treasures include a piece of what is believed to be the original fence that once encircled not only the five block by seven blocks of Duke and its mill (circa 1903) but a great deal more land. The fence extended from the eastern bank of the Cape Fear River north of Duke east to the edge of what is now Forest Dunes subdivision and thence south and then west to a point on the eastern bank of the Cape Fear River.
The museum was gifted with a collection of newspaper articles and pictures pertaining to the town's first election of officers following its incorporation in 1967. In addition, a 1930s guitar with its case was received. It was sold to a local resident by a traveling salesman along with guitar lessons!
The museum is now the proud owner of a trophy and picture of “Miss Erwin, 1963.” One of our members, Rebecca Ann Stevens (now Kelly), represented our town as “Miss Erwin” at that year's “Miss North Carolina pageant.” She also donated a copy of the official 1963 “Miss North Carolina” pageant booklet.
One of the more unusual donations received is a three-seat section of original auditorium chairs from the second floor of the old Hassell-Johnson Company, known to early residents as “the Big Store.” As you may already know, the second floor of that building served as the town’s first “graded” school until the first purpose-built school building was opened in 1923. Those of us with a certain degree of “seniority” will remember “the Elementary building.”
We recently lost our 12-year battle to save the town’s old Durham and Southern train depot. We had hoped it could be renovated to provide the museum with much-needed additional space. Unfortunately, it was not to be. The historic building, built in the fall of 1907, sat for too long without proper maintenance and fell into a state of disrepair. The town Board evaluated the financial cost to restore the building and determined the amount prohibitive. In the end a contract was let to demolish it … Yet another irreplaceable piece of Duke/Erwin's history is gone. How long will it be before there is no physical evidence left of the earliest days of the town and industry that put Harnett County on the map?
On a brighter note the Society’s Board of Directors has enquired to see if the town of Erwin will pay to remodel our museum restroom facility. In its current state, it reminds me of the ones I remember seeing in old service stations as a boy! We are anxiously awaiting an answer. If approved, the work will require closing the museum for a time.
A drawback to the work is that in order make the renovated restroom “Americans with Disabilities Act” (ADA) compliant, it will need to be expanded by several feet, unfortunately, taking up some of our already inadequate display space. We are exploring options to compensate for the loss of space and give the museum a new look.
To become a museum truly worthy of this town’s historic regional importance and to properly honor those who made it so, we desperately need your help! The museum needs a great deal more space for displaying artifacts, for developing future displays, and for some all-important proper and adequate storage.
The museum not only needs more space, but it also needs adequate ongoing funding for sustainment and improvement. It must have a steady source of funding to compete successfully with other area museums. Museums that receive generous on-going funding from a combination of local government and supportive patrons who appreciate the value of saving their history thrive, become first-rate educational facilities and visitor destinations, and the pride of their communities. This is how good museums get even better!
Is saving what is left of our town’s history, especially the physical history, worth the effort and the cost? I say, “YES!”
Perhaps a more appropriate question is, “Is there sufficient active interest in Erwin to accomplish the mission of saving our history? “Passive” interest and well-wishes won’t make it happen. It will take money and a concerted steady effort by truly dedicated individuals to achieve long-term success!
Will you help us take action to collect, preserve, and share our history?
We look forward to hearing from you!
Sion H. Harrington III
President, Erwin Historical Society, Inc.
Visit us on Facebook, and visit the museum throuogh December 2024, open 2 – 4 pm on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Beginning January 1, 2025, the museum will be open to the public on Saturdays from 1-4. The museum will be open on Wednesdays for group tours.
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Please renew my membership in the Erwin Historical Society, Inc. I wish to remain a vital part in the collection, preservation, and sharing the Town of Erwin’s history.
NAME (Print):
ADDRESS (Print):
*EMAIL:
*CELL NUMBER:
[* Optional but appreciated. They will not be shared]
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP: $10.00 PER YEAR
FAMILY, BUSINESS, or ORGANIZATION: $15.00 PER YEAR
MAKE CHECKS PAYABLE AND MAIL TO: Erwin Historical Society, Inc., PO Box 448, Erwin, NC 28339
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