The Gateway, Spring/Summer 2024 | Vol.48

Experience • Explore • Engage

State of North Carolina

Roy A. Cooper, Governor Mark Robinson, Lieutenant Governor Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

Reid Wilson, Secretary Office of Archives and History

Darin Waters, Deputy Secretary

Division of State History Museums

NC Museum of History

Brad Wilson, Interim Director

The Museum of the Albemarle is a part of the Division of State History Museums.

Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle Board Of Directors

Johny Hallow, President

Kim Baumbaugh, Vice President Douglas Gardner, Treasurer

Penny Leary-Smith, Secretary

Chris Barber, Heidi Bonaslawski, Bernetta Brown, Joyce Buffaloe, Ella Fields Bunch, David Clegg, Melinda DelGarbino, Elaine Goodwin, David Harris, Linda Hofler, Tess Judge, Sally Frances Kehayes, Geraldine Langford, Chip Lewin, Diane Nordstrom,

Brian Phelps, Richard Philips, Jude Roberts, Steven Rudey, George Thomas, Katherine Wassink

Don Pendergraft, Ex-Officio

Barbara Putnam, Ex-Officio Museum of the Albemarle Staff

Don Pendergraft, Director of Regional Museums

Barbara Putnam, Operations Manager

Wayne Mathews, Facilities Manager

Wanda Lassiter, Curator

Lori Meads, Education Curator

Carrie Barker, Collections Specialist

Marjorie Berry, Public Information Specialist

Kathy Bowman, Public Information Specialist

Kelly Boyd, Security/Event Rental Assistant

Rosana Castilho, Event Rental Coordinator

Martine DeLizza, Public Information Specialist

Noah Edwards, Artifact Collections Assistant

Bobby Elliott, Security/Event Rental Assistant

Matt Ferrell, Carpenter

Noah Janis, Museum Educator

Andrew Nelson-Redondo, Exhibit/Graphic Designer

Lynette Sawyer, Exhibit & AV Tech

William Seymore, Building Technician

Rebecca Stiles, Administrative Assistant

Mary Temple, Museum Gift Shop

Paul Vincent, Building Technician

Renee Wood, Public Information Specialist

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS – WE APPRECIATE YOU!:

Deborah

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR JUNIOR DOCENTS – YOU WILL CARRY THE HISTORY MANTEL INTO THE FUTURE, WE APPRECIATE YOU!:

Plan your Visit

Museum Hours

Monday—Saturday, 10 a.m.—4 p.m. Museum Gift

Closed on all state holidays. Free admission

Museum of the Albemarle 501 South Water Street, Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Information (252) 335-1453 MuseumOfTheAlbemarle.com

Stay updated! Facebook.com/ MuseumOfTheAblemarle Twitter.com/moaecity Instagram.com/moaelizcity YouTube.com/c/ museumofthealbemarle

Membership

The Gateway is published two times per year by the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle to its members as a benefit of their generous support. To update or verify your membership information, call 252-335-1453.

Features upcoming exhibits this Spring and Summer 2024.

What is Old is New - All Over Again!

Whether it’s history from 50 years ago or 250 years ago, the Museum of the Albemarle continues to bring the past (old) into the present (new).

This summer, the museum’s focus will be on fun in the sun, and we invite you to visit two new exhibits. Are We There Yet? North Carolina’s Variety Vacationland, 1930s–1970s is your travel guide to experiencing past family vacations. Through artifacts, photographs, and music, we invite you to step back explore the traditions of family trips—escaping heat and humidity in the Great Smoky and Blue Ridge Mountains, day tripping to the many state parks and natural wonders in North Carolina, or swimming and sunning at a beach on Carolina shores. And, while we’re on the Carolina beaches,

take some time to explore another new museum exhibit. Where the Waves Break will showcase surfing and its early introduction to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, featuring boards, clothing, memorabilia, and other cool objects from the surfing community. An important feature is the development of surfboards from backyard shops to highly stylized custom boards being made by local craftworkers and used today from Carova to Ocracoke. Please stay tuned for engaging programs being planned throughout the surfing communities in the region, and at the museum.

The 250th celebration of the American Revolution is on the horizon, and the museum is preparing to serve as a hub for the region. In North Carolina, the first event will be at Historic Halifax on April 12, 2024, highlighted by a three-day celebration to commemorate the Halifax Resolves.

The museum is preparing to commemorate the 250th, with a new design plan for the children’s Discovery Room . Built around the theme is When We Were US! (17501800) will feature a typical village in the Albemarle region during the period. Centered on life in a place half-land and half water, the Discovery Room will be divided into four themes: home, maritime,

farming, and commerce. The Discovery Room will be a place for children in kindergarten through fifth grade to experience- explore and engage in colonial life. The McPherson Gallery is on the second floor. It will open during the fall of 2025.

Thanks to all of the museum’s members, visitors, volunteers, staff, and donors, and if you’re not yet involved, please join us. There are many ways to be involved, by becoming members, contributing to the conservation of artifacts, supporting exhibits and educational events, volunteering, or bringing friends and family to visit.

Thank you for your continued support!

Don Pendergraft, Director of Regional Museums

In the Exhibits

On Display

Our Story: Life in the Albemarle

The Albemarle region represents a unique place—half land, half water. The story of this place comes alive in Our Story, a tale of how our communities have adapted to the challenges and opportunities of our unusual home.

Our Story: Audio Tour

Virtual tour provides in-depth overview of the region and its progression through various eras of transportation. Now available in English and Spanish.

North Carolina Shad Boat

The official State Historical Boat of North Carolina was first built in the early 1880s by George Washington Creef of Roanoke Island. The shad boat on display here at MOA was constructed in 1904 by renowned boat builder and decoy carver Alvirah Wright.

Working Birds: Decoys and Their Carvers

Lobby exhibit showcasing decoys from the museum’s collection.

Century Farms of Northeastern North Carolina (Closes June 19, 2024)

Multimedia display of photographs of centennial and bicentennial farms of northeastern North Carolina.

Rock of the Eye: Boatbuilding Traditions

Around the Albemarle Sound Exhibition highlighting boatbuilding traditions and the crafters who helped shape the Albemarle region.

Crafted from Wood

This exhibition explores the gift of crafting treasures from wood while highlighting the training and abilities of the crafter.

Necessity or Frivolous Accessory?

Hats from the Collection

Small case display highlighting hats from the museum’s collection.

We Built This: Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina

(Closes May 28, 2024)

This traveling exhibit, from Preservation North Carolina, is “part of a multi-faceted educational program about the history and legacy of Black builders and craftspeople in North Carolina.”

Upcoming

Flying Kites with Delia (Opens April 1, 2024; Closes May 16, 2024)

(Reopens July 19, 2024; Closes November 14, 2024)

Children’s exhibit telling the history of kites and their usage in northeastern North Carolina as told by the narrator, a delta kite named Delia.

Choosing to Participate

(Opens on May 8, 2024)

Poster display from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves.

Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons (Opens June 3, 2024; Closes July 13, 2024)

Traveling banner exhibition “tells the stories of pioneering African American surgeons and educators who exemplify excellence in their fields and work to educate and mentor younger physicians and surgeons.” On loan from the National Library of Medicine.

Who Can Vote: Brief History of Voting Rights in the United States (Opens June 4, 2024; Closes June 28, 2024)

Traveling exhibit from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History that “examines voting rights with an emphasis on the role of the US Constitution and the interplay between the states and federal government in determining who is allowed to vote.”

Are We There Yet?

(Opens June 17, 2024)

Paneled photography exhibit, on loan from the NC Museum of History, “looks back at an era when tourism boomed thanks largely to a state-run marketing effort called ‘Variety Vacationland.’”

Where the Waves Break: Surfing in Northeastern North Carolina (Opens July 13, 2024)

Explore, experience, and engage in the culture of surfing along our state’s northeast coast.

Amber D. Revels-Stocks, Copy Editor Andrew Nelson-Redondo, Exhibit/Graphic Designer

Carrie Barker, Noah Edwards, Sue Engelhardt, Johny Hallow, Wanda Lassiter, Lori Meads, Don Pendergraft, Barbara Putnam, Rebecca Stiles, Paul Vincent

The Gateway is published two times per year by the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle. Published articles do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources or any other state agency. © 2024 by the Museum of the Albemarle

For information on making a contribution to the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle or to sponsor an issue of The Gateway, call 252-335-1453.

Upcoming Exhibits

By Wanda Lassiter, Curator

The Museum of the Albemarle will open several new exhibits over the next few months.

Flying Kites with Delia explores the history of kites and their usage in northeastern North Carolina as told by the narrator, a delta kite named Delia. The banner display is written for elementary aged children with historical images and colorful sketches. No one knows when, how, or why the world’s first kite was flown, but one legend suggests that a farmer from China was the first person to fly a kite. Visitors will also learn how Orville and Wilbur Wright experimented with kites to help them perfect the airplane and that kiting competitions are held around the world in locations such as Egypt, France, and Australia.

This exhibit, which opened April 1, is also translated into Spanish. It will close for a brief period from May 16, 2024 to July 18, 2024, and then reopen from July 19, 2024 to November 14, 2024.

Choosing to Participate comes to MOA from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The organization “joined the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves to dramatically increase access to the themes and content in its national initiative.” “Choosing to Participate is a set of 11 posters designed to encourage dialogue, engagement, respect, and participation in classrooms and communities. The posters present the experiences of individuals and communities, explore the history and impact of racism and prejudice, and encourage viewers to consider the consequences of everyday choices—to discover how ‘little things are big’—and to make a difference in their communities.”

The display opens on May 8, and closes in June 2025.

We Built This: Profi les of Black Architects and Builders in North Carolina opened March 6, and runs through May 28. This traveling exhibition, from Preservation North Carolina, includes banners and backdrops featuring individuals from northeastern North Carolina, such as Joe Welcome, “an enslaved, multiskilled builder [who] led crews of enslaved artisans and laborers in several building projects in Edenton and surrounding areas.” Also mentioned are Parker and Augustus Robbins, regional Rosenwald schools, Poplar Run A.M.E. Zion Church in Hertford, Somerset Plantation in Creswell, and Elizabeth City State University.

FLYING KITES WITH DELIA OPENING PANEL

CHOOSING TO PARTICIPATE

Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle

POPLAR RUN A.M.E. ZION CHURCH

Poplar Run A.M.E. Zion Church, built in the 1890s by Reverend H. B. Pettigrew.

Courtesy Preservation North Carolina, Tim Buchman

Courtesy Smithsonian Institute

NOAH SNYDER, “OUTER BANKS’ FIRST PROFESSIONAL SURFER,” WHOSE SPONSOR WAS HURLEY INTERNATIONAL, IS ALSO AN ARTIST, SURF CAMP HOST, AND FITNESS BUSINESS OWNER.

HE IS A NORTH CAROLINA SURFING HALL OF FAME AND EAST COAST SURFING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE.

Courtesy Noah Snyder

OUTER BANKS NATIVE JESSE HINES SPENT 11 YEARS AS A PROFESSIONAL SURFER SHREDDING THE WATERS OF ICELAND, YEMEN, NEW ZEALAND, MEXICO, HAWAII, AND NORWAY. HIS FIRST PROFESSIONAL CONTEST WIN OCCURRED AT THE 2005 RED BULL ICE BREAK IN NOVA SCOTIA.

HE IS ALSO A NORTH CAROLINA SURFING HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE, AUTHOR, AND OWNER OF SURFIN’ SPOON WITH HIS WIFE, WHITNEY.

Courtesy Jesse Hines and Mike Leech

WBy Wanda Lassiter, Curator

here the Waves Break will open on July 13, 2024. Surfing has been around for centuries, with roots in Polynesia, particularly Hawaii and Tahiti. Along North Carolina’s southern coastline, early forms of surfing activity were first documented in 1909. Surfing was introduced to the northern coast of North Carolina in the 1920s. What began as a sacred activity for Indigenous islanders has become a mix of cultures all on its own. For more than a hundred years, many surfers have ridden these waves. For some, surfing is a profession; for others, it is a hobby, a therapeutic activity, a community to join, or a mechanism to raise awareness for causes.

RASCOE HUNT OF GFG SURFBOARDS/GALE FORCE GLASSING HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN BOARD BUILDING SINCE 1988. HUNT NOTES HIS MENTORS INCLUDE MURRAY ROSS, MICKEY MCCARTHY, LYNN SHELL, TED KEARNS, AND JESSE FERNANDEZ.

Courtesy Outer Banks History Center, Drew Wilson Collection

The Outer Banks, where waves meet shifting sands, is known to have the best waves on the East Coast. The region’s geography of a curved coastline, along with ocean swells from the north to the southwest, creates excellent surfing conditions. High-pressure systems, hurricanes, and nor’easters bring favorable surfing conditions. Hatteras waters are a mixture of the Gulf Stream’s warm waters and the Labrador Current’s cold waters. Shifting sands craft sandbars, affecting the

breaking points of waves. Great surf spots include the S curves in Rodanthe, the jetties at Hatteras, near shipwrecks, and along the piers.

OUTER SWELL WOMEN’S SURF RETREAT

PATTI HOOK, TWO-TIME

EASTERN SURFING

ASSOCIATION EAST

COAST CHAMPION FOR SHORTBOARDING AND MEMBER OF TEAM

KSUSA REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES IN THE 2024 KNEEBOARD

WORLD TITLES IN JEFFREYS BAY, SOUTH AFRICA.

Courtesy Patti Hook

During the 1950s, this adventurous sport grew in coastal pockets as craft speople transitioned surfboards from hollow and carved wooden planks to polystyrene and fiberglass. Surfing became a national craze in the early 1960s— with music, fitness, fashion, movies, and television shows featuring surfing—leading many more to take up this sport. To meet these demands, surfboard manufacturing increased. Surf shops opened, selling boards, wet suits, surfing trunks, and wax. Surfers organized clubs, and women joined the competitions. Professional tours, competitions, and expos were in full swing by the 1970s. Many saw surfing as a way of staying fit and showcasing their

Courtesy Brooke Rosell, surfer, business owner, and surf photographer

skills; others were looking to the sport to feature someone like them, their race, their gender.

The ’80s were called the “slash, rip, and shred” decade, with surfing riding back into cultural popularity. Although women had previously competed in the sport, the early 1990s saw an increase in female participation and women-focused surf brands. Surfing media exploded as videos and magazines gave surfing a “cultural voice.” In 2018, the economic impact of surfing in North Carolina exceeded $3 million. The sport was rising globally. Changes in the 2000s brought alternative materials, like epoxy foam, and the increasing transition to mass production. Surfing became an Olympic sport at the 2020 games (held in 2021). Today, surfing is diversifying as individuals of all races, genders, and body types join the sport, breaking stereotypes and making waters more welcome and accessible to all.

Across the world, organizations use surfing to advocate for causes, impacting our culture and environment. Surfing for Autism offers an “environment to connect and share by creating opportunities to

ANNIE PETERS BEGAN COMPETING IN LOCAL SURFING CONTESTS WITH THE EASTERN SURFING ASSOCIATION IN 2021, AT AGE 9. TODAY, SHE SURFS COMPETITIVELY IN THE NATIONAL SCHOLASTIC SURFING ASSOCIATION (NSSA), USA SURFING, AND OUTER BANKS BOARD RIDERS CLUB. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE SECRET SPOT SURF TEAM.

Courtesy Annie Peters

BRITTANY DUFFY RECALLS, “MY SISTERS AND I GREW UP COMPETITIVE BODYBOARDING. I SWITCHED TO SURFING MORE IN MY TEENS AND NOW RIDE WHATEVER THE WAVES CALL FOR THESE DAYS. I’M RAISING MY FIVE KIDS RIDING WAVES ON MY BACK AND FRONT OF MY BOARD, JUST AS WE DID WITH OUR DAD GROWING UP!”

Courtesy Brittany Duffy

experience the therapeutic benefits of surfing.” Events like Solidarity in Surfing bring awareness to the underrepresentation of Black women in surfing. Surfers Healing and Life Rolls On organize surfing events for individuals with disabilities. Paddle outs offer awareness of social issues, healing, and grieving. Welcome to the Wave events welcome all to the

sport with safety and surfing lessons offered as part of therapy. Organizations like the Surfrider Foundation promote environmental awareness and beach access.

The earliest surfboards were heavy wooden planks. Modern boards have become significantly lighter, typically weighing 6 pounds, and are made of fiberglass, resin, and foam. Board making has moved from being in backyard garages to professional shops. Surfboards are made and sold with a variety of styles, contours, materials, and purposes, with different rails, noses, and fins. Whether a person surfs using a longboard, shortboard, or boards built for paddle surfing, windsurfing, and wakeboarding, each is built by skilled craftspeople with thousands of hours of experience using processes of shaping, glassing, sanding, painting, and laminating.

The exhibit will feature surfboards, trophies, wet suits, competition jerseys, surf wax, and a surf jacket. View images and/or surfboards from Rodanthe Surf Shop, Natural Art Surf Shop, Hatteras Island Surf Shop, Whalebone Surf Shop, Cavalier Surf Shop, Secret Spot Surf Shop, and New Sun Surfboards. Professional surfers Jesse Hines, Will Deane, Annie Peters, Brittany Duffy, Patti Hook, and Noah Snyder loaned boards, images, and trophies. Outer Banks Boarding Company, Gale Force Glassing, and Ross Surfboards provided artifacts and assisted in the understanding of the processes of shaping and glassing boards. Visitors will see other surfing-related artifacts from Blair Jackson, Brooke Rosell, and Rodney Mathews. Matt Walker with the Outer Banks Milepost, the Eastern Surfing Association, Surfing for Autism, Outer Banks Board Riders, Hukilau Surf Camp, Scott Dawson, Mike Halminski, Dick Meseroll, Corbin Johnson, Rob Beadie, and Textured Waves contributed artifacts, quotes, and graphics to the exhibition.

DURING THE SURFING FOR AUTISM SURFING EVENT, PARTICIPANTS WITH AUTISM PARTNER WITH THERAPEUTIC PROFESSIONALS AND SURFERS. PARTICIPANTS AND FAMILIES CONNECT THROUGH A SENSORY-SENSITIVE EXPERIENCE AT THE NC AQUARIUM ON ROANOKE ISLAND, A MEET-AND-GREET BANQUET FOR FAMILIES, AND FISHING ACTIVITIES FOR SIBLINGS AT JENNETTE’S PIER

Courtesy Surfing for Autism and Bob Sumners Shoot the Beach

Exhibits

DEFENDING DEMOCRACY

BY REMEMBERING THE PAST AND EMPOWERING THE FUTURE

By Sue Engelhardt, President, League of Women Voters Northeastern North Carolina

We are entering another Presidential election year. Reviewing our voting history by remembering where we started is as important as understanding our current voting landscape. Both impact how we empower the future voter. Defending democracy has been the role of so many that have come before us and is no less critical today.

An exhibition of the brief history of voting rights in the United States entitled Who Can Vote? opens June 4 at the Museum of the Albemarle. According to the exhibit text, “it examines voting rights with an emphasis on the role of the Constitution and the relationship between the states and the federal government in determining who is allowed to vote. The right to vote is fundamental to democracy as outlined by the exhibition, to include honoring those past citizens’ defending of that right.”

We need to remember the early days of our country’s democracy. The Founding Fathers had differing viewpoints: the exhibit text also states, “limiting suffrage to people who owned land would oppress the rights of poorer people, who had also fought in the revolution.” But they also felt giving everyone the right to vote might “allow the lower classes, who made up the majority of the population, too much power and the lower classes lacked the education and judgment to make good decisions.” With no consensus by those Founding Fathers, “individual states were given the authority to make their own policies regarding voting rights and the requirements rather than mandating from the national level.”

Since voting requirements were primarily determined by the states, there were many variations of who could vote. Federal involvement in voting rights

became important after the Civil War, when voter eligibility was extended to Black men. After a long history of Jim Crow laws restricting those rights, the Federal government again stepped in as part of the Civil Rights movement. Women’s right to vote also required Federal recognition as did voting age. But states have maintained voting powers, to include the right to run elections, determine voting legislation, and draw district voting maps. As one example, North Carolina has recently made legislative changes to the election process by drawing new district maps, implementing voter ID, changing absentee ballot timelines and voter registration requirements, and defining the composition of national and local election boards.

The exhibition creates a timeline about how voting rights have changed and progressed. We should never forget those who fought for suffrage in all the different venues, to include race, gender, residency, citizenship, property ownership, and age. Many risked their lives for believing that our country must be inclusive of all, in order to continue to defend our democracy. Voting is power and it transforms people from simply being spectators to active agents of change.

The exhibition also displays the power of paintings, newspapers, and other media to influence voting. Graphics and cartoons from past eras illustrate how the public was influenced by such depictions. In today’s world, social media is a major method of influencing voters.

We may feel constantly bombarded with misleading information about our election system, public policies and government actions. Defending democracy requires us to combat misinformation (sharing false information without the intent to harm) and

disinformation (creating and sharing false information with the intent to harm). We can do that by spreading the right message widely, never quoting false information, focusing on providing the correct information and, if possible, include trustworthy sources for where to learn more.

Voting brings us together as Americans – it is the one time when we are all equal. Remembering where we started and understanding where we are now are so important in defending democracy and empowering the future to ensure those rights are never taken

away. Voting is our opportunity to support our communities and have a say in American’s future. Elections can be decided by just a few votes, especially local races. Encouraging and empowering all eligible voters to participate in our elections should be the intention of all of us, from politicians to everyday citizens. Our democracy is stronger when every eligible voter can cast a vote and have it count.

Information for this article was curated and provided by the Gilder Lehman Institute.

Visit Lake Mattamuskeet: Wildlife Retreat of the Albemarle

By Noah Edwards, Collections Assistant

In Hyde County, people can visit North Carolina’s largest natural lake. Though it does not average more than a few feet deep throughout its expanse, Lake Mattamuskeet represents an important natural resource and conservation area.

The lake is the centerpiece of the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge. Lying on important routes for migratory birds, the lake hosts hundreds of species annually as they make their way south.

One of the major landmarks of the lake is the Mattamuskeet Lodge. The lodge was originally constructed in the early 20th century as a pump station (the largest in the world at the time) to drain the lake for use as farmland. The effort was seen as inefficient and eventually abandoned.

After the lake was turned into a wildlife refuge, the former pump station was briefly turned into a hunting lodge and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Are We There Yet? is a traveling exhibition on loan to MOA from the NC Museum of History. Nothing starts the summer right like planning your vacation. This paneled photography exhibit “looks back at an era when tourism boomed thanks largely to a state-run marketing effort called ‘Variety Vacationland.’ The Variety Vacationland campaign

was successful in creating a unified tourism industry in North Carolina from the 1930s to the 1970s by depicting our state as both modern and progressive, but with strong ties to its past.” Regional highlights include Lake Mattamuskeet, the Lost Colony play, Fort Raleigh, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Elizabeth City Potato Festival, and segregated beaches Chowan Beach, Bias Shores/Hargraves Beach and Bogues Beach. This exhibit opens June 17, 2024, and runs into 2026.

“MATTAMUSKEET SUNSET”

Courtesy Keith Ramos/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region

Our Story Rotations

By Carrie Barker, Collections Specialist

Curation and design staff at the Museum of the Albemarle are always working to share our regional history through our artifact collections, though not all our efforts result in press releases about brand-new exhibits. Our work often consists of small changes in our permanent exhibit Our Story: Life in the Albemarle, which explains the history of our 13-county Albemarle region. Our Story is a wonderful introduction to the Albemarle, covering more than 12,000 years of history.

With so much history and artifacts to share, we frequently rotate displays in the Our Story gallery to tell stories we have not told before using artifacts that have possibly never been on display. In 2024, we have planned 12 rotations in Our Story—some are small changes, but many are large enough that they require weeks of preparation. Can you spot the changes we are making and the new stories we are telling?

There is nothing permanent in the museum—even our “permanent” exhibit changes all the time!

OUR STORY DISPLAYS IN APRIL 2024. Visit the museum to see the changes we make to add different stories and artifacts to Our Story.

Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle

Dr. Lonnie M. Hayes

By Paul Vincent, Contributing Researcher

Upon his passing in 2006, Dr. Lonnie M. Hayes was revered by the citizens of Goldsboro as they paid their last respects to a skilled surgeon and physician. Quoted in the Goldsboro News-Argus as “a doctor who put his patients’ welfare ahead of his own advancement,” Dr. Hayes served as Wayne County’s first Black surgeon when he joined the staff of Wayne Memorial Hospital in 1963.

“Another Doctor told me, you’re getting Dr. Hayes because he’s the best man we’ve got!’ He was sure right. Dr. Hayes fixed me up as good as new.”

—Whitey Baker, News & Record, June 10, 1973.

Before his admission, the Bertie County native spent four years in residence at the Freedmen’s Hospital (now Howard University Hospital), in Washington, D.C., starting around 1958. Hayes would advance in his profession to become Wayne Memorial Hospital’s chief of surgery before managing a private practice, retiring only a few years before his death at age 73.

This summer, the Museum of the Albemarle will welcome a new traveling banner exhibit produced by the National Library of Medicine and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons highlights the outstanding achievements of America’s leading Black physicians, nurses, and educators in the field of medicine.

Learn about the lives and careers of these pioneering and modern-day medical practitioners with a visit to Opening Doors. This exhibit closes July 13th, 2024.

Courtesy News & Record, October 10, 1963, Newspapers.com

Dr. Lonnie M. Hayes served as Wayne County’s first Black surgeon after being admitted to the staff of Goldsboro’s Wayne Memorial Hospital in 1963.

DR. LONNIE M. HAYES

Courtesy Goldsboro NewsArgus, April 12, 2006

What’s Happening with Affiliate Museums

Spring Frolic: A Gala Benefiting the NC Museum of History

Saturday, April 27, 6 p.m., Carolina Country Club

For a full listing of upcoming programs and events, visit ncmuseumofhistory.org/events

Hands-on History: Make Upcycled Jewelry

Saturday, April 20, noon–3 p.m., NC Museum of History

FREE drop-in program

Watch upcycler Robert Smith at work. Then go on a museum gallery hunt and make a simple piece of jewelry from buttons, paperclips, and more.

Tar Heel Troubadours: Fireside Collective

Saturday, April 20, 7–8:30 p.m., Daniels Auditorium, NC Museum of History

6:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. performance

Tickets: MOHA/museum members $12; general admission $15

Fireside Collective has been on a roll since emerging seven years ago from the fertile roots music scene of Asheville. In quick order, the progressive bluegrass group released its debut album, won the 2016 Band Contest at MerleFest, earned an International Bluegrass Music Association Momentum Band of the Year nomination, and embarked on an ambitious touring schedule that’s earned an enthusiastic reception from traditional bluegrass to wide-ranging, eclectic music festival audiences alike.

This is a ticketed event. Visit ncmoha.com for details.

Join us for the 26th Annual Spring Frolic benefiting the museum’s exceptional exhibitions and outstanding community and education programs. Every year, museum supporters from around the state gather for an evening of dazzling cocktails and a delicious dinner while perusing silent and live auctions. Ticket sales and proceeds directly support the museum!

History at High Noon: John Chavis Memorial Park Carousel

Wednesday, May 1, 2024, noon–1 p.m., location to be determined

Speakers: Dana Brown, Assistant Director, John Chavis Memorial Park; Madison Phillips, Assistant Director, John Chavis Memorial Park

Join us as we welcome Dana Brown and Madison Phillips of John Chavis Memorial Park, as they give us the inside scoop on the beautiful, historical Allan Herschell carousel at Chavis Park, as well as how this space has served as a pillar of the downtown Raleigh African American community for decades!

History and Highballs: Still Starring North Carolina!

Thursday, May 2, 7 p.m., via Zoom

Speaker: Sally Causey Bloom, Director, Longleaf Film Festival, NC Museum of History

The NC Museum of History’s exhibit Starring North Carolina! explored the state’s more than 100-year history of filmmaking. The exhibit launched Longleaf Film Festival in 2015. Today, the exhibit is closed, but both Longleaf and the state’s many connections to filmmaking continue. Join Sally Causey Bloom, director of the Longleaf Film Festival, to explore some of the history and ongoing contributions to cinema in our state and beyond!

Artists at Work: Historical Hatter Andy Sterlen

Saturday, May 4, noon–3 p.m., NC Museum of History

FREE drop-in program

Watch Andy Sterlen—tailor, hatter, and reenactor—as he creates a historically accurate 18th-century felt hat.

Hands-on History: Make a Paper Hat

Saturday, May 4 & 25, noon–3 p.m., NC Museum of History

FREE drop-in program

See Andy Sterlen make historical hats, search for some in our museum collection, and then make a paper version to take home.

Affiliate Museums

Longleaf Film Festival

Friday, May 10– Saturday, May 11, NC Museum of History

Join Longleaf Film Festival’s community of filmmakers and film fans with an in-person weekend of screenings of movies that demonstrate a Tar Heel State connection, through the people involved in making them, their filming location, or their subject. Watch dozens of films— narrative and documentary features and shorts, animated films, music videos, spoken-word productions, and more. Plus, enjoy workshops, socials, and Movies-N-Moonlight, where we screen films on a giant blow-up screen! Longleaf Film Festival, a free-to-attend juried event, highlights the best of independent film in a place that strives to tell the stories that connect us all.

The festival is sponsored, in part, by Carlyle Adams Foundation, the-freelance-editor.com, CT Wilson Construction Company, Monarch Realty, Ricci Law Firm P.A., Bellhop, Empire Properties, and ZenBusiness.

The NC Museum of History Foundation Distinguished Lecture Series:

To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment

Thursday, May 16, 7 p.m., A. J. Fletcher Opera Theater, Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts

Speaker : Bret Baier, Award-Winning Broadcast Journalist and Best-Selling Author

Presented by the NC Museum of History Foundation and the News & Observer

Tickets*: balcony $50; orchestra/floor $65; box seats $90

This is a Foundation event.

Bret Baier currently serves as anchor and executive editor of Special Report with Bret Baier and chief political anchor of Fox News Channel. As this year’s

distinguished lecturer, Baier will draw from his latest work, To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment. He will shed light on the remarkable life of George Washington, the founder who did more than perhaps any other individual to secure the future of the United States, from the unsettled early American frontier and the battlefields of the Revolution to the history-making clashes within Philadelphia’s Independence Hall.

For tickets, search “Bret Baier” at Ticketmaster.com, call 800-745-3000, or visit the Martin Marietta Center box office in person.

*Plus taxes and fees. For information, call 919-814-7077.

Tar Heel Troubadours: Paige King Johnson

Saturday, May 18, 7–8:30 p.m., Daniels Auditorium, NC Museum of History

6:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. performance

Tickets: MOHA/museum members $12; General Admission $15

After spreading her wings with her debut single “Water Down the Whiskey,”—which climbed to the #29 spot on Music Row charts— four-time Carolina Country Music Award winner and Angier native Paige King Johnson moved on to her next projects with the release of her radio-charting singles “Just Like You,” “Baby Don’t,” “Famous Enough,” and more that completed her debut album, Honky Tonk Heart. Among other projects, Johnson was named the first musical ambassador for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and has worked alongside them to continue to promote agriculture through her music and travels. She has also shared the stage with many great artists over the years, such as Kane Brown, Oliver Anthony, Joe Nichols, Kylie Morgan, Ian Munsick, Gabby Barrett, Diamond Rio, Scotty McCreery, Neal McCoy, and more.

Artists at Work: The Triangle Weavers Guild

Saturday, June 1, noon–3 p.m., NC Museum of History

FREE drop-in program

Watch the shuttles fly as members of the Triangle Weavers Guild demonstrate a craft woven into North Carolina’s history. Try your hand at the loom, too!

Hands-on History: Weave a Bookmark

Saturday, June 1 & 15, noon–3 p.m., NC Museum of History

FREE drop-in program

See weavers at work, start your own mini-weaving, and go on a cloth clues gallery hunt.

Tar Heel Troubadours: Dashawn Hickman

Saturday, June 29, 7–8:30 p.m., Daniels Auditorium, NC Museum of History

6:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. performance

Tickets: MOHA/museum members $12; general admission $15

DaShawn Hickman grew up hearing pedal steel in the tiny House of God church his family attended in Mount Airy and listening to his mother play lap steel in their home. Hickman picked up pedal steel guitar at the age of 5. Now he’s one of the foremost contemporary practitioners of sacred steel, a blues-gospel tradition dating back to the Pentecostal Holiness churches of the 1930s.

Visit the museum’s website for up-to-date information and tickets.

Affiliate Museums

Tar Heel Troubadours: The Henhouse Prowlers

Saturday, July 20, 7–8:30 p.m., Daniels Auditorium, NC Museum of History

6:30 p.m. doors open, 7 p.m. performance

Tickets: MOHA/museum members $12; general admission $15

Join us for Tar Heel Troubadours, a celebration of Americana, roots, bluegrass, and traditional music performed by artists from or living and working in North Carolina.

A music performance at the NC Museum of History is unlike any other! You’ll enjoy an intimate experience with an artist in our 300-seat venue. Every seat in the house has a fantastic view, and the sound is exceptional. The evening is complete with merchandise available from the artist and a bar with a special beer from Fullsteam Brewery plus wine.

Visit the museum’s website for up-todate information and tickets.

For more information about events and exhibits at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, visit museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov

Carolina Cultures

Summer History Camp (Ages 9-12 yrs)

June 24-28, 9:00 am-3:00 pm daily

This 5-day camp will explore the cultures of the people that make our state great. From American Indians to Scots Highlanders, European and Spanish immigrants, to the Gullah Geechee of the southern coast, North Carolina is a melting pot of heritage and tradition. Each day of camp will feature special guests, presentations, and hands on activities as students embark on a cultural journey that includes the exploration of history, folkways, nature, the arts, language, and recreation.

Registration opens May 1, 2024, $30 per camper.

For more information visit our website at museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov.

For more information about events and exhibits at the Mountain Gateway Museum, visit mgmnc.org

38th annual Pioneer Day

Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.-4 p.m

The Mountain Gateway Museum (24 Water St., Old Fort) will host its 38th annual Pioneer Day on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The family-friendly event offers traditional Appalachian craft s, live music, food trucks, vintage farm equipment, wagon rides, children’s games, and much more.

A Place at the Polls

April 2024 to February 2025

Learn how voters’ rights have evolved in the United States by visiting MGM’s newest exhibit, A Place at the Polls. Part of North Carolina’s celebration of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, the exhibit will open in April 2024 and run through February 2025.

GROUP PHOTO AT THE GHOST TOWER SUMMER HISTORY CAMP, 2019

Courtesy Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex

Affiliate Museums

Conservation Assistance Day

Saturday, May 18

Conservators from the NC Museum of History in Raleigh will be at MGM on Saturday, May 18, for a “Conservation Assistance Day.”

Participants will meet with conservators in free, pre-scheduled, 30-minute sessions to learn how to care for their treasures. For an appointment, call 828-668-9259.

Old Fort Trails & Trains Festival

Saturday, June 1

On Saturday, June 1, MGM’s grounds will be part of the Old Fort Trails & Trains Festival. The all-day event will feature shortand long-distance runs, guided trail hikes, bike rides, historic depot tours, a bike safety clinic, food vendors, music, and more.

The Birds & Blooms Bonanza

Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m.

A new program for MGM. Participants (who must pre-register and pre-pay) can make a seasonal wreath or a takehome craft while learning more about the birds and flowers native to North Carolina’s mountains.

The fee is $15 per person, and space is limited. To reserve a space, call the museum at (828) 668-9259.

Douglas Dobell Ellington: Asheville’s Boomtown Architect

Saturday, June 22

Architecture will be the focus on Saturday, June 22, when MGM opens the traveling exhibit, Douglas Dobell Ellington: Asheville’s Boomtown Architect, for a seven-month run. Ellington is known as the architect who changed Asheville into an Art Deco showplace during the 1920s.

PIONEER DAY

A young woman practices weaving on a tabletop loom during Pioneer Day 2023 at the Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort, NC.

Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social

Thursday, July 4, 2 :00-4:00p.m.

Enjoy free ice cream scoops, watermelon slices, bluegrass music, and a Ducky Derby contest at MGM’s annual July 4th Ice Cream Social from 2 to 4 p.m. The event precedes Old Fort’s Fourth of July parade.

Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell

Sunday, July 21, All Day

Jerdon Mountain Challenge

Saturday, July 20, 6 a.m.-2 p.m.

Meet cyclists from around the world when they gather at MGM on July 20-21 for Blue Ridge Adventures’ annual mountain bike races: the Off-Road Assault on Mount Mitchell and the Jerdon Mountain Challenge. The museum’s grounds serve as the start-finish line for both races.

CONSERVATION ASSISTANCE DAY

Textiles conservator Paige Myers (seated) from the North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh examines the condition of a patron’s artwork during a 2017 Conservation Assistance Day program at the Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort, NC. The next conservation program at MGM will be held on May 18, 2024.

Courtesy Mountain Gateway Museum

Courtesy Mountain Gateway Museum

What a Season!

By Lori Meads, Education Curator

The Education Department kicked off 2024 in an engaging way that allowed visitors to experience and explore the rich culture of the Albemarle region.

On the evening of January 10, the Museum of the Albemarle celebrated the 100th Birthday of Max Roach, a jazz drummer. All we can say is, “What an evening!” Don Pendergraft, director of regional museums, welcomed everyone. Proclamations were read by Pasquotank County Commissioner Charles Jordan and Elizabeth City Mayor E. Kirk Rivers, declaring January 10, 2024, as Max Roach Day. Professor Douglas Jackson, Elizabeth City State University, was welcomed to the stage to introduce Maxine Roach, the daughter of Max Roach. She provided stories of growing up as the daughter of a famous jazz drummer. Visitors enjoyed listening to various pieces composed by Max Roach that were led by Thomas Taylor, Pasquotank County native and professor at North Carolina Central University. Herman Burney and Maya Kronfeld joined Taylor on stage for a relaxing evening of listening to music. Each selection that was performed of Max Roach’s composed pieces were introduced to guests. Joining Taylor on stage was his sister and Pasquotank County native Jacinta Taylor Dillard. She provided vocals to “Driva’ Man” and “Throw It Away.” The evening was highlighted by Taylor performing on a set of drums that Max Roach once owned and signed. Chris Reckling of the Hampton Roads Show, WAVY 10, highlighted the program January 16, 2024.

In February the museum welcomed school groups on two separate days with special guest Clear Vision Edutainment: Talking Drums and Nathan M. Richardson proving a living history program, as Frederick Douglass. We were at capacity on both days in the auditorium.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss! kicked off on February 28 with a total of 12 schools visiting the museum through the end of March. Volunteers and museum staff stepped in to make all groups feel welcomed and to help in the educational process.

Since the start of 2024, the museum has seen an increase in participation in History for Lunch and Tot Time. More guests are attending in person. We are excited about the topics we have hosted so far and looking forward to the ones currently being scheduled. Please join us on the first and third Wednesdays of the month, except December, at noon for History for Lunch. Tot Time is for children ages 3 to 5 accompanied by an adult. It is held the second Thursday of the month at 10 a.m., except for June, July, and August. Please join us for these free programs.

We are looking forward to the following events that are currently in the planning stage other than our regular monthly scheduled programs .

The museum is holding a school day on Friday, April 19 from 9 a.m. until noon for students in grades 3 through 6. The theme will be Celebrate National Kite Month through Flight. We have several outside agencies that we’re working with to provide a fun and educational experience.

On May 8 at noon, the museum will host author Kianna Alexander. She will talk about her book, Carolina Built, based on the life of Josphine Leary.

On May 17, 18, and 19, we will host again this year, PBS North Carolina’s Rootle Roadster Tour. The event was a huge success last year, and we welcome everyone birth to eight years of age to join us. Friday evening will be for registered families of exceptional children. Saturday and Sunday will be open to the public.

The museum will have a Summer Fun Day on Tuesday, June 18, and Tuesday, July 16. The times for both days will be from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. A Day at the Movies is scheduled for Thursday, July 25, and Thursday, August 15. Times for both dates will be 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. If you have a group of 10 or more, please call the museum.

The Museum of the Albemarle will be offering a Saturday program for children once a month. The theme for each month is being decided on and will be in the program calendar and promoted through social media.

Be on the lookout for more information once all dates and times are confirmed.

Education is continuing to add programs to the calendar. Keep watching the newspaper and social media for the most up-to-date information.

We are busy and hope that you will join us for one or several of the programs that is being offered.

Planning for 250th Celebration of America

By Lori Meads, Education Curator

There has been much work going towards the 250th Celebration of America. The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is holding statewide meetings with counties, tourism boards, and local individuals . The kickoff for the State of North Carolina will be April 12–14 in Halifax. The Halifax Resolves was signed on April 12, 1776, a resolution adopted by the Fourth Provincial congress of the Province of North Carolina that was a forerunner of the United States Declaration of Independence.

At the Museum of the Albemarle, the staff is working diligently on research, creating teaching kits with the assistance of outside individuals, and planning a Discovery Room for children and adults to experience, explore, and learn.

A local historian will develop teaching kits. The Museum of the Albemarle’s programming will use the kits to focus on the four themes that have been established for the Discovery Room

These kits also will be available for use in classrooms, libraries, civic groups, and clubs for an identified period free of charge. In the teaching kits, there will be background information on the region during the colonial period (1750–1800), lesson plans, activities, and hands-on items to enhance the learning experience.

Planning is in progress already to reopen the Discovery Room in September 2025 with a colonial theme that will tell the story of all who lived in the Albemarle region. The room will have four themes: river life, farm work, home life, and commerce. The Discovery Room will be a place for all to enjoy while learning and engaging with family and friends.

If you are looking for things to do or would like to stay updated on all the events across the state, we invite you to visit america250.nc.gov and click on events.

The museum has only just begun the process of celebrating America 250. We hope you will stay tuned to all the educational opportunities that will be open to everyone.

President’s Report

By Johny Hallow, FOMOA Board President

The Museum of the Albemarle had an amazing year in 2023 with several successful events. I continue to be thankful for the opportunity to serve this wonderful organization and community, and to work with a great staff and Board of Directors.

We ended 2023 with the opening of our newest exhibit, Crafted

from Wood, which features several objects “crafted in the 18th century by the furniture-making shops of Thomas White, William Seay, Samuel Black, and Micajah Wilkes.” The exhibit includes beautiful wooden furniture, tools, hardware, and finishing materials, so visitors can admire “how carvers used wood to express their culture, religion, profession, and identity to connect with their communities.” This exhibit will remain open until the end of 2026.

In March, we opened a traveling exhibit entitled, We Built This: Profiles of Black Architects in North Carolina. This museum will host this traveling exhibit from March 6 through May 28, so please be sure to stop by and visit us during this period. Banners and backdrops will highlight the stories of those who constructed and designed many of North Carolina’s historic sites, including the regional Rosenwald

schools, Poplar Run A.M.E. Zion Church, Somerset Plantation, and Elizabeth City State University.

We have lots of other exciting events on our calendar for the remainder of 2024. Please be sure to check out our social media pages to stay up to date on upcoming events and news.

We are proud to announce that our membership has now expanded to 424. We are thankful for our members and would love to see our membership continue to grow as we press forward.

Finally, I would like to again recognize and thank the museum’s staff and Board of Directors for their continuing hard work and dedication that has led to our continued success. I am excited to continue to work with everyone to ensure a successful 2024.

Membership

Membership Matters

August 18, 2023 – April 8, 2024

Thank you for supporting the museum!

RENEWALS

Individual

• David Clegg

• Donald Cherry

• Peggy Davenport

• Dianne Fletcher

• Wendy Flores

• Johny Hallow

• Evelyn Henley

• Mae Heyer

• MSG William Hoffman

• Frank Johnson

• Tess Judge

• Bettie Lowe

• Daniel McAuliffe

• David Seymour

• Tony Stimatz

• Dianne Wells

• Peggy West

• Emily Jennings-White

Family

• Donna Baker

• Bill & Chris Barber

• Kim & Jack Baumbaugh

• Bernetta, Anthony & Elisa Brown

• Sharon Burtner

• Linda Davis

• Linda & Shel Davis

• Brenda & Billy Felton

• Holly Glenn

• Norma Hatot-King

• Penny Leary-Smith

• Daryl Lease & Julie Finn

• Joyce & Justina Long

• Pat & Dianne McDowell

• Freda & Wallace Nelson

• Nancy & John Nicholls

• Cyn Owens

• John Collins & Patsy Lowell

• Tom & Dee Ponte

Patron

• Gretchen Blacksmith

• Mychele Conway

• Dolores Elder

• Linda Hofler

• Alden & Patty Hoggard

• David & Jane Harris

• Don & Mary Lee Kosik

• Anne Marie Knighton

• Tom & Margaret Newbern

• Julie & Harry Robinson

• Lynn & Russell Scull

• Elda & Bill Stevens

• Di Small & Neal Blinken

• Ethel Sutton

• Paul & Joyce Wheeler

Sponsor

• Al & Min DelGarbino

• Kurt & Bobbi Hunsberger

• Robert & Elana Muir

Lifetime Members

• Hilton & Mary Leigh Barrett

• Arthur & Patti Bergman

• Anna & Bruce Biggs

• Karl Brandspigel & Nita Coleman

• Geoff & Penny Byrd

• George Converse

• Carol & Ed Cowell, Jr.

• Brenda & Terry Daniels

• Sam & Faye Davis

• Col. Bill & Susan Davis

• Oliver & Linda Etheridge

• Joe & Judy Evans

• Nancy Ferebee

• Jo Ann Foreman

• Creig & Karen Foreman

• Dr. Linda Fusco

• Doug & Diana Gardner

• Sharon Greene

• Dorsey Harris

• Edwin & Diana D. Hardison

• Flint & Janet Harding, Jr.

• James & Jackie Hathaway

• Dr. Karen Ray & Dr. John Hill

• Ken & Martha Howard

Membership

• Chad Hull

• Russ & Courtney Hull

• Maughan & Kay Hull

• Nedra & Jules Lane

• J. Wilson & Margaret Jones, Jr.

• Mark & Lil Maland

• Hunter Foreman Michael

• Nancy Bailey Muller

• Buddy & Beverly Madrin

• Cynthia & Joe Mastro

• Dr. Charles & Brenda Mahaffey

• Michael & Sherri McDaniel

• Ed & Claudia Merrell, Jr.

• Kirk & Anita Oldham

• Charlotte Patterson

• William Parker, Jr.

• Chris & Whitney Paullet

• Dr. Anne Marie Radke

• Tapp & Charlie Robinson

• Harry & Julie Robinson

• Matt & Breanne Scribner

• Norman & Susan Scurria

• Beverly Small

• Mark & Stacy Small

• Dr. Benjamin Speller, Jr.

• Marvin Stokley

• George & Mary Thomas

• Jim & Jo Thomas

• Bob & Judy Thorne

• Mary Tirak

• Byrum Charitable Trust

• Barbara & Leo Wachter

• Katherine Wassink

• Jimmy & Mary Jo Westbrook

• Dian Williams

NEW MEMBERS

Individual

• Heidi Bonislawski

• Hardy Flanagan

• Diane Nordstrom

• Suzette Owens

• David Prizer

• Theresa Swindell

Family

• Lisa Bridge

• Dee Estella

• Woody & Annette Garthwaite

• Robin Morgan & James Damewood

• Chip Lewin

• Richard Phillips

• Renee Wood & Ric Fulmore

Patron

• Elaine Goodwin

• Ronald Olds

• Julie & Tommy Peters

• Eric & Patti Weber

Sponsor

• Chris & Mike Marshall

Community Partners & Sponsor Recognition

The Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle (FOMOA) is a non-profit support group that seeks to raise awareness and provide funding for exhibits, educational programming, and artifact conservation throughout the 13 county region that we serve. The counties served are Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington. The Museum of the Albemarle is the recipient of all funds raised.

ELIZABETH CITY FOUNDATION

Smithsonian

Museum

Shop

the Museum Gift Shop for a selection of gifts to suit every occasion, most are handmade by Albemarle Craftman’s Guild members. Here you’ll nd books about the region, culinary items, and USCG souvenirs. e shop is full of rare and beautiful gifts, wrapping is included with purchases.

With a variety of spaces available for rent and an attractive and convenient downtown Elizabeth City location, the museum is an ideal choice for almost any event; including business meetings, corporate dinners, community events, performances, wedding receptions, holiday parties, and family reunions.

Traveling exhibits are an excellent way to display history and boost educational opportunities in your communities, schools, or civic events in your area. The museum will assist you with selecting the exhibit, shipping/delivery and advise on set-up when necessary.

Please contact the museum for availability, reservation, and help. We look forward to hearing from you!

• Explore • Engage

To learn more about our traveling exhibit selctions, please visit and reserve your spot today:

https://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/exhibits/ museum-traveling-exhibits

In Memoriam: Ken Shaw

1952—2024

A Friend to All

All of us here at the Museum of the Albemarle will sorely miss your charm and instigating nature as our star volunteer at the front desk—always with a smile on your face, a twinkle in your eye...and that big booming voice of yours, that both aggravated and endeared us to you all at the same time. Ken, you will never be forgotten, you were a friend to all, and your friendship has left an everlasting impression on each of here at the museum.

God Speed. Until we meet again.

Breaking waves July 13, 2024

GIRLS SURF CLUB

Courtesy Brooke Rosell, surfer, business owner, and surf photographer

Courtesy Seth Brody, Will Deane, Brooke Rosell, Outer Banks History Center

Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle

501 South Water Street | Elizabeth City, North Carolina 27909 (252) 335-1453 | MuseumOfTheAlbemarle.com