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.
FRONT COVER: JAMES ADAMS FLOATING THEATRE PHOTO COLLAGE
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle, U.S. Library of Congress
Looking to the Future
Hello, I am Maria Vann, the new director of the regional history museums, formerly the deputy director of the NC Museum of History (NCMOH). The regional museums include the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (Hatteras), Mountain Gateway Museum (Old Fort), Museum of the Albemarle, Museum of the Cape Fear (Fayetteville), North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort, North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport, and the
Tobacco Farm Life Museum (Kenly). My love of history is lifelong, and I am a trained museum professional and historian. I understand the unique and profound importance of museums for the public.
I look forward to working with staff and all support organizations to strengthen the work of the museums as they provide stories through exhibits and programs that illuminate the fascinating history of North Carolina.
There are a few exciting happenings within the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Division of State History Museums. First the NC Museum of History is now closed to the public. The team there is packing the museum and its collections, all the while working to reimagine the future museum’s exhibits and programs. During closure, NCMOH programming and outreach will continue to serve the state. Likewise, the NC Maritime Museum at Beaufort is undergoing an HVAC upgrade and exhibit refreshing with plans to reopen in 2025. We welcome the Tobacco Farm Life Museum to the fold. It will also open to the public in 2025. Please check social media and websites for updates.
Again, I want to reiterate that I truly am excited to guide and bolster these museums forward, to meet you all, and to be a part of this 50th edition of The Gateway magazine. I look forward to many successful years ahead!
Thank you for your continued support!
Maria Vann Director of Regional History 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
Second floor lobby exhibit showcasing decoys from the museum’s collection.
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.
Are We There Yet? North Carolina’s Variety Vacationland, 1930s-1970s
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.’”
“It Was Escape; It Was the Theatre” The James Adams Floating Theatre
This small display case highlights the traveling vaudeville showboat James Adams Floating Theatre.
Closing
Emmett P. Jones Sr., Fourth-generation Wheelwright and Blacksmith (Closes May 3, 2025)
This small lobby display features artifacts and graphics of master craftsman Emmett P. Jones Sr. of Chowan County.
Where the Waves Break: Surfing in Northeastern North Carolina (Closes June 2, 2025)
Explore, experience, and engage in the culture of surfing along our state’s northeast coast.
Choosing to Participate (Closes June 21, 2025)
Poster display from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and the educational organization Facing History and Ourselves.
Upcoming
Journey Stories (Opens July 1, 2025)
Poster display from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service “designed to encourage dialogue, engagement and participation in classrooms and communities on how movement has defined America.”
Africa to Carolina (Opens July 1, 2025; Closes August 2, 2025)
This banner traveling exhibit includes “information about the Middle Passage, conditions on slave ships, the slave trading business, laws concerning importation of enslaved people, and methods of their resistance.” It was created by the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission.
North Carolina Motorsports: History in the Fast Lane (Opens August 14, 2025; Closes November 15, 2025)
The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources extends the North Carolina Moonshine and Motorsports Trail’s historical reach with this traveling pull up banner display.
“It Was Escape, It Was the Theatre,” The James Adams Floating Theatre Museum of the Albemarle Presents Smithsonian Poster Exhibition
Highlighting the History of Migration in the United States
Africa to Carolina Exhibition Travels to the Museum of the Albemarle
Down, But Not Out
D. Revels-Stocks, Copy Editor
Contributors
Carrie Barker, RoAnn Bishop, Elaine Alexander Goodwin, Noah Janis, Wanda Lassiter, Lori Meads, Andrew Nelson-Redondo, Barbara Putnam, Rebecca Stiles, Maria Vann, Paul Vincent
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.
By Wanda Lassiter, Curator
In 1925 Pulitzer Prize winner Edna Ferber visited the grand vessel James Adams Floating Theatre while it was docked in North Carolina. Her interviews and research there would become a key foundation for her award-winning book Show Boat. Her novel later inspired plays, musicals, movies, and songs.
Launched in 1914 from Washington, NC, the traveling vaudeville showboat entertained ticketholders in communities along rivers and sounds from New Jersey to Florida. Northeastern North Carolina towns—such as Bath, Manteo, Colerain, and Elizabeth City— were entertained with live plays, music, ventriloquism, acrobatics, and magic performances up to six nights a week.
In the early years, up to 850 guests could enjoy the shows. That number decreased to 442 in 1940 due to renovations. After several sinkings due to the weather or striking submerged objects, the showboat burned and sank one final time in Georgia in 1941.
A small case exhibition, located on the first floor, highlights the traveling showboat. To see a scale model and other images of the theatre, please visit the main gallery, Our Story, on the second floor.
All images are from the Museum of the Albemarle collection unless otherwise specified.
EDNA FERBER, 1928
The Michigan native and newspaper reporter became a Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright and novelist.
Courtesy The Mariners’ Museum and Park, Newport News, VA
TWO “SHOW BOAT” ACTORS, circa 1925
Courtesy The Mariners’ Museum and Park
KATHLEEN WANDA, 1915
Mrs. Walter Sanford (Kathleen Wanda) was the “Leading Woman of the James Adams Floating Theatre
THE MUSICAL CLOVERS, circa 1916
Carl and his wife performed aboard the theatre. The very first tryouts for the entertainment staff were held onboard the vessel while docked in Elizabeth City.
ALBERT and DOLLIE BELLOWS, 1915
The Bellows are noted as “heavies” or “malevolent” characters,
ORCHESTRA LEADER HARRY MASTEN
The theatre employed approximately 25 performers, a six-piece orchestra, and a ten-piece concert band.
COOKS IN THE GALLEY, circa 1925
“Rosie Teal” is written on reverse of this photo.
MINOR REPAIRS and ALTERATIONS, circa 1938
Courtesy The Mariners’ Museum and Park
Museum of the Albemarle Presents Smithsonian Poster Exhibition Highlighting the History of Migration in the United States
This summer, the Museum of the Albemarle welcomes Journey Stories, a Smithsonian poster exhibition highlighting the history of migration in the United States America. “American history is a patchwork of many tales, which have been woven over time from the voyages of people—both voluntary and involuntary—who traveled from cityto-city, state-to-state, and around the world to find new opportunities. Whether by air, land, or sea, travel has played a crucial part in our economic and cultural identities. The seven posters are designed to encourage dialogue, engagement, and participation in classrooms and communities on how movement has defined America.”
“Developed for middle-school and highschool students, Journey Stories explores how movement has shaped our nation’s history. This set of educational posters
“MAYFLOWER APPROACHING LAND,” 1905
Engraving published by John A. Lowell after Marshall Johnson.
Courtesy U.S. Library of Congress
takes a broad look at American expansion and migration. Topics range from the earliest European settlers and Native American displacement to the effects of transportation advancements on modern mobility. The poster exhibition and related public programs are an opportunity for visitors to engage in discussion about the community’s history and how travel has uniquely molded the region and its place in American history.”
MOA received these posters at no cost thanks to a Smithsonian partnership with Teaching Tolerance. “These posters are being distributed at no cost to schools, libraries, museums and community organizations through a partnership with Teaching Tolerance. Digital files of the posters are also available for download at www.sites.si.edu. SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for 65 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play.”
“THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD,” circa 1893
“African Americans in wagon and on foot, escaping from slavery.”
Courtesy U.S. Library of Congress
“Founded in 1991 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Teaching Tolerance is dedicated to reducing prejudice, improving intergroup relations and supporting equitable school experiences for our nation’s children.”
The posters will be on view at the Museum of the Albemarle beginning July 1, 2025, and will run for one year.
Smithsonian Institution A liations Program
Strengthens connections between the Smithsonian and museum and cultural organizations—and their communities and audiences everywhere—inspiring a deeper understanding of our world and how it can be changed for the better.
Africa to Carolina Exhibition Travels to the Museum of the Albemarle
“The North Carolina African American Heritage Commission began the Africa to Carolina initiative in 2018 to identify, acknowledge, and eventually physically mark the sites of disembarkation at ports in the state. The exhibit is the first step to helping others learn about the impact 2,000 enslaved individuals made in the state.
Africa to Carolina, a panel style traveling exhibit, presents the history of the forced migration of enslaved persons from Africa and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The exhibit explores the Middle Passage, conditions on slave ships, the slave-trading business, laws concerning the importation of enslaved people, and methods of their resistance.”
The traveling exhibition will be on display at the Museum of the Albemarle from July 1, 2025, to August 2, 2025.
AFRICA TO CAROLINA EXHIBIT
Courtesy North Carolina African American Heritage Commission
James Adams Floating Theatre Trunk Travels Again
By Carrie Barker, Collections Specialist
COPPERSMITH
Exhibits in history museums typically rely on physical artifacts to tell a story. When a museum wants to tell a story but does not have an object to illustrate it, a common strategy is to borrow artifacts from other institutions. The Museum of the Albemarle (MOA) was contacted in 2022 by the Calvert Marine Museum of Solomons, Maryland, with such a request.
The Calvert was developing an exhibition about the James Adams Floating Theatre, which stopped in Calvert County 24 times during its travels. Knowing that Elizabeth City was an important stop for the
theatre, the Calvert inquired if MOA had photos or artifacts that it could borrow. After sharing our inventory of James Adams Floating Theatre-related items, it formerly requested to borrow multiple photos of the theatre and its actors and a trunk that had belonged to Ray Coppersmith, a local man who had traveled with the theatre company.
After approval of the loan request, our trunk was cleverly incorporated into the Calvert’s fabricated scene of a bunk room on the James Adams Floating Theatre. When the exhibit ended in 2024, representatives from the Calvert delivered the Coppersmith trunk back to MOA.
The condition of the trunk was assessed before the loan request was approved.
TRUNK
The trunk was on display for many years in Our Story until 2022.
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
TRUNK ASSESSMENT
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
Boatbuilding Ties Generations and Communities Together
By Noah Janis, Museum Educator
For thousands of years, boatbuilders in the Albemarle region used the “rock of the eye” to design and manufacture boats based on tradition, feeling, and eyesight. With many traditions passed along by generations before them, these crafters have shaped the Albemarle region into a diverse maritime haven. Each builder passed along knowledge and technique from one generation to the next while also adding their own unique, innovative, and daring style.
An interesting article in the Elizabeth City The Independent published on January 7, 1921, shares the story of one such generational family of boatbuilders in Manteo. The article was titled, “This Father and Five Sons All Boatbuilders: W. O. Dough, Original Boatbuilder and Jokesmith, Raises Five Other Boat Builders.” *The article has been edited for spelling.
Seldom is it seen in one family where as many as five sons have taken up the tricks of the father. The five sons of W. O. Dough of Manteo make one of the exceptions. The father is a boatbuilder and the son of a boatbuilder and sea captain. He heired all his father’s seamanship and mechanical skill. His sons have taken up the boatbuilding tendencies inherent in the family and none of them seem satisfied unless they are building boats.
W. O. Dough was for years in the Life Saving Service and has spent much of his life in the shad fishing business. He has seen sea service in all kinds of rough weather and knows just how a boat should be for smartness and seaworthiness. And he has learned just how to combine these essential characteristics in a craft without losing the elegance and beauty that has made the North Carolina shad boat famous throughout the country. Today his boats may be seen all over North Carolina, and in many ports up and down the Atlantic coast.
Nowhere is W. O. Dough happy except when he is watching the smart lines of some handsome boat take form under his minute supervision, and nowhere is he more satisfied than when racing one of his craft against that of some other builder. His name has become a byword among fishermen who depend throughout the year on the safety of the craft with which they must pursue their livelihood.
For the entire period of the war [World War I], Dough and three of the sons served at shipbuilding in a leading American shipyard. And when the war was over, they went home and started building boats again.
Boatbuilding is his trade but he is a jokesmith by profession. With the rough wit of a second Mark Twain and the adaptability of Abe Lincoln, he carries a barrage of stories as interesting, and original as the boats he designs. Nobody ever failed to laugh at W. O. Dough, unless he was wondering where he managed to dig up so many sidesplitting anecdotes.
Boatbuilding ties generations and communities together, showcasing the Albemarle region’s strong maritime heritage. Learn more about the history of boatbuilding in northeastern North Carolina by visiting the Museum of the Albemarle’s exhibit, Rock of the Eye: Boatbuilding Traditions Around the Albemarle Sound.
DOUGH FAMILY, circa 1900
Walter Otis Dough and his sons in front of the boat they are constructing.
Courtesy Outer Banks History Center, Manteo, NC
Actor, Athlete, Activist: Paul Robeson
By Paul Vincent, Contributing Researcher
The beloved James Adams Floating Theatre was a driving inspiration behind Edna Ferber’s classic 1926 novel Show Boat. The success of Ferber’s book prompted a Broadway musical the following year with the play, in turn, spawning three notable motion pictures of the same name. Director James Whale’s 1936 film adaptation featured concert musician and stage actor Paul Robeson performing the memorable tune “Ol’ Man River.”
Like the James Adams Floating Theatre, Robeson had ties to the northeastern region of North Carolina. His father, William D. Robeson, grew up on the Robeson Plantation in Martin County. Enslaved from birth, William escaped north through the Underground Railroad to Pennsylvania and eventually settled in New Jersey. He married Maria Bustill in 1878. The couple raised six children together; Paul was the youngest, born in 1898.
In addition to his theatrical success, Paul Robeson’s many talents included playing football for Rutgers University and the Milwaukee Badgers. He earned a law degree from Columbia University in 1923. A highly regarded figure during the Harlem Renaissance, Robeson would go on to international acclaim as an outspoken proponent of and champion for civil rights. The portrayal of Joe in that iconic 1936 production of Show Boat undoubtedly remains but one of his many outstanding achievements.
PAUL ROBESON, 1942
The highly praised singer and actor played the role of Joe in the 1936 version of the movie Show Boat. Robeson was one of the first Black men to play a major role in the theatre business.
Courtesy U.S. Library of Congress
New Construction Projects are Slated!
By Wayne Mathews, Facilities Manager and Paul Vincent, Contributing Researcher
New construction projects are slated to begin this year at the Museum of the Albemarle. These projects, briefly mentioned in our Fall/Winter 2022 issue, are now being implemented and the work will be carried out in the coming months.
Replacement of the chiller unit is scheduled for March 2025; installation is estimated to take about three weeks. Once the new Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) unit is operational, the museum should see a substantial reduction in electricity
consumption, which means a considerable cost savings, as well.
Updating the fire alarm system is a two-month long project planned for Spring 2025. This system update will modernize the building’s infrastructure and help keep the museum current with industry standards.
Finally, renovations to our front entrance and portico are proposed to start early 2026. These renovations include new steps, as well as an Americans
with Disabilities Act-compliant automated entry way. The enclosure of our now open-air portico will allow for additional temperature and humidity- controlled space to accommodate both educational programming and event rentals.
These upcoming construction projects all aim to enhance the Museum of the Albemarle’s general operations, providing visitors with a more enjoyable museum experience.
VISITORS AT THE MUSEUM OF THE ALBEMARLE
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
Affiliate Museums
Down, But Not Out
By RoAnn Bishop, The Mountain Gateway Museum & Heritage Center
The Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center (MGM) in Old Fort sustained significant damage during Hurricane Helene. It has been closed to the public since the storm struck on Friday, September 27, 2024. However, restoration efforts are underway, and the museum reopened at its new temporary site in early December.
During the hurricane, floodwater from Mill Creek swept the circa 1903 Mauney House—the museum’s office building—off its foundation and slammed it to the ground. It is now slated for demolition. Floodwater also broke apart and washed away the Mauney House’s garage that served as MGM’s exhibits workshop.
Inside the museum building, water and mud filled the partial basement and rose about 10 inches on the first floor. Large tree limbs fell on the roofs of the gazebo and circa 1865 Stepp cabin. Both the amphitheater and outdoor fountain silted up, and flood
debris damaged portions of the rock retaining walls along Mill Creek.
For more information about events and exhibits at the Mountain Gateway Museum, visit mgmnc.org
On a positive note, Spangler Restoration of Charlotte completed cleaning the museum building in early November, and the restoration phase is now underway. Repairs to other structures should begin soon, along with the removal of tons of silt and debris from MGM’s grounds.
Meanwhile, MGM temporarily has moved its offices across the street to 78-C South Catawba Avenue in Old Fort. Thanks to help from the NC Museum of History, the Mountain Heritage Center in Cullowhee, the Asheville Art Museum, the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ Western Regional Office in Asheville, and lots of volunteers, MGM’s staff moved salvaged artifacts, furnishings, and exhibits into the new space. It had a soft opening in early December.
It’s still too early to determine if MGM’s annual Pioneer Day can happen in April. But the museum’s staff plans to host small events in its new location during the winter and spring. Check MGM’s website at www.mgmnc.org for the latest information.
DEVESTATION FROM HURRICANE HELENE IN OLD FORT, NC
(Top) shows the Mauney House off its foundation. (Bottom) shows the devestation downtown near the museum.
Courtesy Mountain Gateway Museum and Heritage Center
What’s Happening with Affiliate Museums
Educational Programming Highlights
By Lori Meads, Education Curator
For a full listing of upcoming programs and events, visit ncmuseumofhistory.org/events
For more information about events and exhibits at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, visit museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov
Mother’s Day at the 1897 Poe House
Sunday, May 11, 2025, 1:00pm – 5:00pm Admission is free.
Explore the stories of the women of the 1897 Poe House during this special event!
Take a guided tour of the 1897 Poe House that focuses on the history of the women of the Poe Family, the women who worked in the Poe House, and the cultural norms of women in the Victorian period. Located in the backyard of the Poe House will be a Mother’s Day market featuring local vendors and free craft activities for all to enjoy. Space is limited for the tours of the 1897 Poe House and cannot be reserved ahead of time for this event. Tours start at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., and 4 p.m. Come celebrate Mother’s Day with us!
As 2024 came to an end, many participated in the Museum of the Albemarle’s holiday programs, which included the Designers’ Workshop, taught by Judith Saunders a member of the Albemarle Craftsman’s Fair, and the Gingerbread Workshop. The annual Holiday Open House was held on Saturday, December 7, with its new theme, colonial Christmas. Visitors enjoyed hands-on activities, light refreshments, and farm animals on the lawn. Separately, more than 1,500 school students came for education-packed mornings focused on the colonial period, including the Jackson House and the Albemarle Express HO scale model train. Each of the 13 counties in our service area was represented by a decorated tree in the museum. We give a warm thanks to each county that brought the idea to life. Guests visiting during the holidays enjoyed the trees.
In January, we welcomed Thomas Taylor, David Albert, James Crew, Damon Brown, Dexter Moses, and Curtis Olawumi for an evening of jazz honoring Pasquotank County native Max Roach for the conclusion of his centennial year-long birthday celebration. Everyone enjoyed listening to
live music. We also had three History for Lunch programs with high attendance. Edward Fearing presented part two of “Old” Elizabeth City photos. Derrick Brown discussed the history and preservation of Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site. Reverend Daniel M. Cenci talked about the archaeological finds on the grounds of Christ Episcopal Church. For the museum’s younger guests, Tot Time focused on pirates, with all “Arring” at departure. Families had the opportunity to explore the Rock of the Eye exhibit through hands-on activities during a Make It, Take It program.
February’s programs offered two school days for educators and students. The first was a living history program that allowed students to interact with Frederick Douglass, portrayed by Nathan M. Richardson. For the second educational program, students enjoyed interacting with storytelling, music, and a dance presentation that unpacked the impact West African culture has on the world. History for Lunch programs that month included Dr. Glen Bowman of Elizabeth City State University on Disenfranchisement in the Albemarle, 1899–1949, and Dr. Kathleen DuVal of the University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on North Carolina in the American Revolution. The history of Valentine’s Day was highlighted with a Make It, Take It program. Tot Time focused on how families lived in colonial North Carolina.
March came in like a lion, with students learning about Dr. Seuss by reading his books and enjoying hands-on activities. We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, March 14, with Robert Waters, a local historian, providing a narrative and history of Celtic and traditional Irish music selections. Families had the opportunity to pick up a Take It, Make It kit that was full of at home
activities and learning resources for St. Patrick’s Day. History for Lunch events highlighted the history of sport surfing in North Carolina by guest speaker Benjamin Wunderly from the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort. We also enjoyed a talk on Harriet Jacobs by Amanda Irvin of Historic Edenton State Historic Site. The museum welcomed the North Carolina Council of the Holocaust, which provided a one-day workshop for English and social studies teachers in middle and high schools.
April and May will be busy with History for Lunch, School Day educational programming, Tot Time,
a workshop to celebrate National Coin Week in April, and the PBS North Carolina’s Rootle Roadster Tour in May during the Potato Festival.
Looking ahead, Summer Fun Days, At the Movies! For Kids, and other programs will provide fun and educational days at the museum during summer vacation. History for Lunch will be available on the first and third Wednesdays of the summer months. We invite you to visit often so you can view our exhibits and the programs developed to enhance them.
AN EVENING OF JAZZ HONORING PASQUOTANK COUNTY NATIVE MAX ROACH
Thomas Taylor, David Albert, James, Crew, Damon Brown, Dexter Moses, and Curtis Olawumi
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
Developing the America 250th Children’s Discovery Room
By Noah Janis, Museum Educator
As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, the Museum of the Albemarle is commemorating this important historical milestone with a new Children’s Discovery Room, opening in September. We have been eager to bring back the Discovery Room since the previous iteration closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new exhibit will be an interactive and immersive space for children and families to explore colonial life in northeastern North Carolina between 1750 and 1800.
The room will be divided into four sections, focusing on farm life, maritime life, town life, and home life. Each section will feature a colorful mural with interpretations of how the region looked during the Revolutionary era. Interactive aspects of the exhibit will allow children to grow produce, transport their crops on a flatboat, sell their wares at a shop, and cook their food over a hearth. Kids can also try on colonial clothing, practice drilling with the militia, read books, and play colonial toys and games. There will even be a replica colonial windmill!
The Discovery Room has been in development since 2022, with a team meeting frequently to research, plan, and design all aspects of the room. As usual
with our exhibits, the design and construction take place in-house. We have also contracted with master carpenter and housewright Russell Steele to build the windmill, hearth, and corner cupboard, while local historian Barbara Snowden is creating a teaching trunk to complement the exhibit. Funding for the exhibit is provided by Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle and the America 250 North Carolina initiative, administered by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
Staff at the Museum of the Albemarle are excited to share our work with you, FOMOA members, during the exclusive exhibit opening at the FOMOA Annual Meeting on September 22, 2025. Mark your calendars and join us this fall!
ROOM MODELS OF THE NEW CHILDREN’S DISCOVERY ROOM Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
President’s Report
By
Elaine Alexander Goodwin
As we begin 2025, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Elaine Alexander Goodwin. I am honored to be the president of the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle. I have family roots in Currituck, Pasquotank, Dare, Washington, and Tyrrell Counties – 5 of the 13 counties served by the museum. I have a lifelong interest in history. I was a part of the restoration of the Whalehead Club in Corolla as a
volunteer from its purchase in 1992, through 2023. That year I retired after six years employed there.
The museum staff has done a wonderful job with the latest exhibits Where the Waves Break: Surfing in Northeastern North Carolina, Crafted in Wood and the History for Lunch series. There will be more new and updated exhibits during the remainder of the year from our terrific innovative staff. Did you know all the exhibits are built from scratch in-house? That’s unheard of in the museum world. We also have social media wizards keeping our Facebook pages updated and interesting – be sure you’re following. Our membership has continued to grow as has our attendance!
Sadly for us, our director Don Pendergraft retired in December. Wayne Mathews, our Facility
Manager, retired in February. I wish them both the very best as they begin this new chapter of life. (Don has promised to answer his phone when I need help though). Thank you to all our museum staff for your dedication and continued hard work at keeping the museum fresh and exciting to visit.
I’m looking forward to working and planning for the future with our museum staff and board of directors from all 13 counties represented by the Museum of the Albemarle.
Elaine Alexander Goodwin President of the Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle
DON PENDERGRAFT RECEIVING THE ORDER OF THE LONGLEAF PINE AWARD
Courtesy LuAnne Pendergraft
OUR RECENT RETIREES
Don Pendergraft (right) and Wayne Mathews (left) both celebrating 32 years of service for the state of North Carolina.
Courtesy Museum of the Albemarle
Membership
Membership Matters
October 1, 2024 – February 28, 2025
Thank you for supporting the museum!
RENEWALS
Individual
• Dr. Glen Bowman
• Newell Cannon
• David Clegg
• Margene Curtice
• Peggy Davenport
• Dianne Fletcher
• Wendy Flores
• Holly Glenn
• Johny Hallow
• Evelyn Henley
• Mae Heyer
• MSG William Hoffman
• Harriett Hornthal
• Frank Johnson
• Tess Judge
• Joyce Lassiter
• Bettie Lowe
• Stephen Manning
• Daniel McAuliffe
• Diane Nordstrom
• Sue Owens
• David Seymour
• Shelia Simpson
• Judy Stallings
• Tony Stimatz
• Dianne Wells
• Peggy West
• Emily Jennings-White
Family
• Donna Baker
• Bill & Chris Barber
• Kim & Jack Baumbaugh
• Bernetta, Anthony & Elisa Brown
• Sharon Burtner
• Richard Phillips & Carol Willett
• Donald & Deborah Cherry
• Linda Davis
• Linda & Shel Davis
• Janet Farmer
• Brenda & Billy Felton
• Holly Glenn
• Norma Hatot-King
• Jan Lauten
• Alex & Sandra Leary
• Chip Lewin
• Mack & Faye Sawyer
• Penny Leary-Smith
• Daryl Lease & Julie Finn
• Joyce & Justina Long
• Pat & Dianne McDowell
• Sean & Catherine Murray
• Sandie Neal
• Freda & Wallace Nelson
• Nancy & John Nicholls
• Cyn Owens
• John Collins & Patsy Lowell
• Tom & Dee Ponte
• Renee Wood & Ric Fulmore
Patron
• Bill & Chris Barber
• Gretchen Blacksmith
• Mychele Conway
• Dolores Elder
• Elaine Goodwin
• David & Jane Harris
• Doris Hawkins
• Linda Hofler
• Alden & Patty Hoggard
• MaryAnn & Barry Keyes
• Anne Marie Knighton
• Christine & Michael Marshall
• Don & Mary Lee Kosik
• Di Small & Neal Blinken
• Tom & Margaret Newbern
• Julie & Harry Robinson
• Lynn & Russell Scull
• Elda & Bill Stevens
• Ethel Sutton
• Paul & Joyce Wheeler
Sponsor
• Al & Min DelGarbino
• Kurt & Bobbi Hunsberger
• Robert & Elana Muir
Lifetime Members
• Gerry Anderson
• Hilton & Mary Leigh Barrett
• Arthur & Patti Bergman
• Anna & Bruce Biggs
• Dr. Karl Brandspigel & Dr. Nita Coleman
• Geoff & Penny Byrd
• Mrs. Carol Cowell, Jr.
• Brenda & Terry Daniels
• Sam & Faye Davis
• Col. Bill & Susan Davis
• Oliver & Linda Etheridge
• Joe & Judy Evans
• Jo Ann Foreman
• Creig & Karen Foreman
• Dr. Linda Fusco
• Doug & Diana Gardner
• Sharon Greene
• Dorsey Harris
• Dr. Diana D. Hardison
• Flint & Janet Harding, Jr.
• James & Jackie Hathaway
• Phyllis Bosomworth & Jim Watson
• Dr. Karen Ray & Dr. John Hill
• Ken & Martha Howard
• Chad Hull
• Russ & Courtney Hull
• Maughan & Kay Hull
• Nedra & Jules Lane
• Mrs. Margaret Jones, Jr.
• Mark & Lil Maland
• Hunter Foreman Michael
• Nancy Bailey Muller
• Buddy & Beverly Madrin
• Cynthia Mastro
• Mrs. Brenda Mahaffey
• Michael & Sherri McDaniel
• Ed & Claudia Merrell, Jr.
• Di Small & Neal Blinken
• Kirk & Anita Oldham
• Charlotte Patterson
• William Parker, Jr.
• Chris & Whitney Paullet
• Dr. Anne Marie Radke
• Tapp & Charlie Robinson
• Harry & Julie Robinson
• (In Memory Of) Alice Barrow Rayburn & Sadie Fearing Barrow
• Matt & Breanne Scribner
• George & Anne Scott
• Mrs. Susan Scurria, Jr.
• 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
Family
• Clare & Walter Baum
• Kathy & Bill Bowman
• Shaquana Peters
• Sandra Spence
• Barbara Morris & Tim Wearer
• Glenn & Brenda White
Patron
• Katherine Pool Jackson
• Mark Williams & Jay Smith
• Will & Scarlett Newbern
Sponsor
• Bob & Inah Abbitt
• Bill & Millie Tice
If you don’t see your name listed, your membership may not be current.
Please call Rebecca Stiles, Membership Liaison, 252-331-4021 for more information about the status of your membership!
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 Gift Shop
Visit 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 find books about the region, culinary items, and USCG souvenirs. The 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.
The Spirited Story of Stock Car Racing and Down-Home Distilling
Discover North Carolina’s NEW Moonshine and Motorsports Trail and experience our state’s history of perseverance and innovation like never before.
August 14, 2025 to November 15, 2025
Experiencing Exploring Engaging
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! Call 252-335-1453 today!
me!
www.museumofthealbemarle.com
To learn more about our traveling exhibit selctions, please visit and reserve your spot today:
Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle 501 South Water Street | Elizabeth City, North Carolina 27909 (252) 335-1453 | MuseumOfTheAlbemarle.com
STEAMBOAT HERTFORD, circa 1914
The Albemarle Steam and Navigation Company operated the steamboat Olive with routes in this region. It tragically sank in 1903, killing 17. The vessel was later raised and repaired, becoming the Hertford. This circa 1914 image is found in Rock of the Eye: Boatbuilding Traditions Around the Albemarle Sound Courtesy Joyner Library, East Carolina University
