Administrator’s Letter
Greetings from the Historic Resources and Museum Program! This edition of the Raleigh Register focuses on books. Did you know that the HRM Program maintains over 2,300 books in our collection? From family bibles to memoirs, the HRM collection of books helps interpret our past, and we invite you to learn more about them. The HRM Program also congratulates Savannah Hubbard’s recent promotion to the new Program and Events Manager at Pullen Park. Prior to her promotion, Savannah was working at Mordecai Historic Park as part-time program staff. Finally, as we move into fall, we invite you to take advantage of the cooler weather and come out to visit one of our sites, museums, or attractions. Many of our large events and festivals are coming up, such as Haunted Mordecai, Santa’s Trolley, and Holiday Express. The latest updates for event details such as ticketing can be found on our website. Head to RaleighNC.gov and search “Museums.” As always thank you for your support of the HRM Program.
Troy Burton Administrator
HRM Program 919-996-4772
troy.burton@raleighnc.gov
Chair’s Letter
As incoming chair of the HRM Advisory Board, I’m honored to welcome you to my favorite time of year in Raleigh–a season of both dazzling spectacle and calm reflection that never disappoints. With the waning of the cicada’s chorus and interminable heat of summer, the invigorating snap of fall beckons us to enjoy the city in all its autumnal splendor. From crisp morning walks around Pullen Park’s Lake Howell, golden late afternoons at Moore Square’s weekly “Jazz in the Square” series, or evenings that include haunted tours aboard the historic Raleigh Trolley–a perfect blend of spooky legends and captivating history–outdoor opportunities offering “all-things-autumn” abound.
While there’s a whirlwind of bustling seasonal events this time of year, there are also ample places to find moments of reflection and rejuvenation. As so many others have long treasured, the simple pleasure of curling up on a picnic blanket with a good book under Mordecai Historic Park’s colorfully changing tree canopy cannot be outdone.
However you choose to enjoy the season, I look forward to seeing you out and about in our beautiful city!
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Check our social media for the newest additions of upcoming events at all of our sites! RaleighParks
Jenny Harper Chair HRM Advisory
Board
Cover Photograph: Evelyn Pope taken by Virgil’s Studio, in Fayetteville, NC, 1964-1966
Collections Corner: So Many Books, So Many Artifacts
Ainsley Powell, Curator of Collections
Attending a clinic preparation for a debutante ball at either Ligon Junior-Senior High School or Governor Morehead School, November 1962, Courtesy of South Park – East Raleigh Neighborhood Association
One of a pair of “End of Trail” bookends, 1920-1930
Bookplates, “Ex Libris Evelyn Pope,” before 1995
Small bookmark used by the Pope family, date unknown
This button displays the Dewy Decimal System classification for “participatory democracy,” a form of government supported by some librarians in the 1960s and 70s. Probably owned by Evelyn Pope, ca. 1970.
The oldest book in the HRM Program Collection is, The History of the Amours and Gallantry of Several Noble and Polite Persons at Rome and Syracuse. Vol II, published in London in 1728.
Evelyn’s Book Club
Hazel Boomer, Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum Site Director
On June 25, 2025, the Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum hosted its first book club, named after Evelyn Pope, the daughter of Dr. Manassa T. Pope. Evelyn was a lifelong reader and a librarian at various historic Black colleges and universities across the South. Later in her career, she served as the Dean of Library Sciences at North Carolina Central University. She read classics such as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Robinson Crusoe, and Shakespeare, receiving a book of his poems and plays as a Christmas gift from Dr. Pope in 1927. She also read works by Black authors, such as Richard Wright, James Baldwin, and Lorraine Hansberry.
I can relate to her love of reading; I have an extensive home library, though I imagine Evelyn read her books regularly and didn’t let them collect dust on the bookshelf, unlike me. I started this book club not only to shamelessly reach my 2025 reading goals, but to connect with the Raleigh community and learn local history. This year, we read four books that are linked to Raleigh, the state’s history, and Evelyn herself. Originally a summer program, future book club meetings will be held bi-monthly, starting in February 2026. A highlight of the program is that it will be hosted at the Pope House Museum!
Book given to Evelyn Pope by her father, Dr. Manassa Pope. Inscription inside, “To Miss Evelyn B. Pope from her father, Christmas 1927.”
Discussion group at the book club on July 30, 2025. The book discussed was Claiming Union Widowhood: Race, Respectability, and Poverty in the Post-Emancipation South by Brandy C. Brimmer. Edna Rich- Ballentine (third from left) knew the Pope family and attended the discussion.
Imagining Early American Jews Book Talk
Kimberly Oliver, Historic Sites Assistant Director
This November, Mordecai Historic Park will welcome Professor Michael Hoberman to speak about his new book Imagining Early American Jews. Dr. Hoberman features the people and history of Mordecai in this work which investigates how historic sites in the South that are linked to Jewish history use and/or interpret this history. He specifically explores how slavery and pressures to assimilate impacted choices that museums often misunderstand.
Hoberman examines the unique story of Moses Mordecai, a man who gave up his Jewish faith and who enslaved dozens of Black individuals. Visitors to Mordecai are often surprised to learn that, despite their name, the family were not practicing Jews. Hoberman argues that few objects in the house testify to the Mordecais’
ancestry – perhaps an intentional choice on their part as Moses and his siblings worked to assimilate in early 19th century North Carolina.
At the same time, limited material artifacts left by enslaved people do not tell us much about their inner lives. Despite this shortage, Mordecai staff pull from oral histories and more general sources to make the narrative of enslaved life a major part of the site’s interpretation.
Visitors are invited to tackle an existential question for sites like ours: What does this complicated history mean for us in the present? Join us in November to continue the conversation.
Part of the Mordecai library.
Bilingual Book Celebrations
The City of Raleigh Museum is excited to host multiple impactful events in collaboration with Artist Studio Project Publishing (ASPP). Led by the passionate Rafael Osuba, an accomplished author and artist, ASPP is dedicated to championing first-time authors from all different backgrounds.
International Children’s Day and Boleros y Libros are two vibrant events designed to give children’s book creators an exceptional platform to showcase and market their literary works. Local authors represent a rich tapestry of backgrounds and offer unique narratives which resonate with various subjects, age groups, and even languages.
The book fairs are just one part of the programs. While authors connect with children, many other artists are involved. These events seamlessly blend elements of art, music, puppetry, literacy, and multilingual programming, making them some of the museum’s most exhilarating family activities. We take immense pride in this partnership, as it allows us to enrich our entire Raleigh community and inspire a lifelong passion for reading in individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
Margaret Mordecai Devereux and Plantation Sketches
Douglas Porter, HRM Program Director, Historic Sites
In 1906, Margaret Mordecai Devereux self-published Plantation Sketches, a memoir recalling her family’s life before and after the Civil War. While Margaret references the Mordecai House, where she was born in 1825, much of her recollections center on “Will’s Forest,” a plantation once located about a mile west of the Mordecai House.
Will’s Forest was part of a large tract originally granted to Joel Lane before the American Revolution and later acquired by Moses Mordecai through marriage in 1819. Moses’s holdings included the area that is now Mordecai Historic Park, as well as hundreds of surrounding acres, including Will’s Forest near modern day Fred Fletcher Park. In 1840, Moses’s widow, Ann Willis “Nancy” Lane Mordecai, built a substantial home at Will’s Forest, where she lived until her death in 1854.
Margaret and her husband, John Devereux Jr., inherited the property and remained there for nearly forty years. The house was demolished in 1906 as Glenwood Avenue developed into one of Raleigh’s first suburban neighborhoods.
Through the 1850s, John and Margaret split their time between Will’s Forest and “Runiroi Meadows,” a Devereux plantation on the Roanoke River in Bertie County. The Devereuxs eventually relocated to Will’s Forest permanently during the Civil War - Margaret Mordecai Devereux, 1870-1880, Courtesy of Capital Area Preservation, Inc.
Starting in 1840 the Mordecais contracted with architect Thomas A. Waitt to design and manage the construction of a grand brick home with large exterior columns. In modern context, the house at Will’s Forest stood on the east side of Glenwood Avenue between today’s Devereux Street and Will’s Forest Street. ca. 1868, Courtesy of State Archives of NC
Cover of Plantation Sketches by Margaret Mordecai Devereux, Courtesy of Capital Area Preservation, Inc.
Pullen Park Interpretive Signage:
Read All About It, Anywhere!
Kathryn Neuhart, Curator of Exhibits and Design
Benjamin Van Wagener, GIS Senior Analysist, and Kathryn Neuhart, Curator of Exhibits and Design, teamed to make the Pullen Park Interpretive Signs available online (and in Spanish)! Ben used ArcGIS StoryMaps to create a digital narrative that combines text, images, and sign artwork. You can learn more about Pullen Park’s history through the themes: Founding, Swim, Segregation, Zoo, Carousel, and Lake Howell, in person or by visiting raleighnc.gov and searching: Interpretive Signage.
Founding
One man’s gift shaped this community treasure. Richard Stanhope Pullen donated farmland in 1887 for the park that bears his name.
A postcard from the HRM Collection, ca. 1914:
A path around the pond allowed guests to stroll by or stop to admire the goldfish. The pond was enlarged into a lake during the park’s expansion in 1935.
postcard is located on
Carousel
This carousel has created generations of smiles. Pullen Park welcomed this community treasure in 1921.
This drawing was used during the restoration to ensure that the animals have the proper colors.
The
the ‘Founding’ sign, at Pullen Park on Lake Howell.
A volunteer restores a Pullen Park carousel horse in 1980.
Upcoming Events
Moore Storytime!
Tuesdays, October - December 10:30 - 11 a.m.
Moore Square
The playground transforms into a serene storytelling play space for young children and their caregivers. Our park staff will lead children through a circle activity, read stories, and share sensory and play activities such as bubble exploration, coloring, and dancing.
Create Moore!
Fridays, October - December 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Moore Square
The Square becomes a creative space for exploration on Friday mornings with our Create Moore! Series. Park staff will guide guests through various themed and seasonal STEAM experiences using a rich variety of materials.
Through the Thresholds: History of Moore Square Walking Tour
Fridays, October - December 2 p.m.
Saturdays, October - December 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Moore Square
With more than 230 years as one of Raleigh’s original five public greenspaces, Moore Square has a lot to share! Join us for a free and fascinating tour of our four-acre urban oasis. The 30-minute walking tour will start at the Moore Square Visitor Center and explore both Moore Square Park and its visitor center.
Raleigh Wide Open Events
Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4
City of Raleigh Museum
Join us for an inspiring experience with the Raleigh Wide Open Festival! We invite you to participate in engaging programs on the evening of October 3, and during the afternoon of the October 4. Discover the captivating history of gospel music in North Carolina. Don’t miss this opportunity to enrich your understanding and appreciation of our vibrant musical heritage! Check cityofraleighmuseum.org for program times.
Historic Black Neighborhood Walking Tour
October 4 - December 21
Saturdays 10 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.
Sundays at 2 p.m.
Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum
Autumn is perfect for walking! Explore Raleigh’s historic, influential Black neighborhood, the Third Ward, near Shaw University—a hub of culture, business, and education. Registration is required. $10 per adult and $5 per child (ages 5-17.)
Family Fun Day
Saturday, October 11
Saturday, November 8
Saturday, December 13
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Join us for a free program that is both educational and entertaining for families. This program will run the second Saturday of each month, where you’ll find a fresh theme that allows you to explore the museum in exciting and new ways. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to bond with your family while learning something new each month!
Lunchbox Lecture
Thursday, October 16
Thursday, November 20
Thursday, December 18
12 - 1 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Feed your belly and your brain! Bring your lunch to the museum and listen to a captivating lecture every third Thursday of the month. These free lectures will run for 45 minutes and topics vary each month: October - Ian Dunn, Processing Archivist, State Archives of NC, Hidden Gems of Historic Raleigh; NovemberBillie Oliver, Native American Heritage Month; December - Dilip Barman, North Carolina’s Math History.
Upcoming Events
Living History in the Park
Friday, October 17
4 - 7 p.m.
Moore Square
Experience history like never before with the City of Raleigh Museum and Moore Square Park! Join us for an enchanting candlelit tour through the park, where you’ll encounter the remarkable figures who shaped Raleigh’s rich past. Immerse yourself as talented actors bring these compelling stories to life through powerful monologues. This is a free event.
Haunted Trolley
Fridays, October 17 and 24
Saturdays, October 18 and 25
6:45 p.m., 7:45 p.m., 8:45 p.m.
Historic Raleigh Trolley
Discover history, mystery, and lore with your ghost host on the Haunted Trolley for a special late-night tour of downtown Raleigh’s most haunted places. Jump aboard and keep your eyes open for ghostly visitors of years past... they’ve been dying to have you.
Jazz on the Greene
Sunday, October 19
Sunday, November 16
4 p.m.
John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park
This event will feature live music by local Raleigh band, Phenix Fire. Come out for a Sunday afternoon of music and fun.
Spellbound at Mordecai
Saturday, October 25
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Magic abounds at Spellbound at Mordecai! Create spooky crafts, enter our costume contests, join the Ghost Guild’s Haunted Mordecai presentation, and shop for enchanting handmade items from our vendors while experiencing Mordecai Historic Park under the spell of Halloween.
Day
of the Dead
Friday, November 7
6 - 9 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
We are hosting the 9th Annual Day of the Dead celebration on First Friday. The free event is in collaboration with Artist Studio Project and the Friends of COR Museum.
Imagining Early American Jews Book Talk
Sunday, November 9
2 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Historian Michael Hoberman discusses his new book on the interpretation of Jewish history at antebellum historic sites. Hoberman investigates Moses Mordecai’s abandonment of his faith, the Mordecais’ enslavement of Black men, women, and children, and the implications this history bears for us in the present.
The Doctor Is In!
Saturday, November 15
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum
Learn about how Black medical doctors, such as Dr. Manassa Pope and Dr. Lewyn McCauley, practiced medicine. Tours include original medical tools and medical remedies from the Pope collection. This is a free event.
Magic and Mischief: A Wizard’s Market
Saturday, November 15
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Fred Fletcher Park
The Wizard’s Market appears for only one day in a cloaked location each year. Encounter mysterious characters and fantastic beasts, create magical crafts, shop for enchanting items, and practice spells with professors from a certain famous wizarding academy.
Upcoming Events
African American Book Fair
Saturday, November 15
3 – 6 p.m.
John P. “Top” Green African American Cultural Park
This event will feature African American book vendors and authors from around the state. Children’s literature and historical and inspirational books of the African Diaspora will be available for sale.
Sip n’ Shop
Friday, December 5
5 – 9 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
First Friday Holiday Sip n’ Shop at the City of Raleigh Museum. Enjoy a festive beverage while finding gifts for the whole family from local artists, craftspeople, creators, makers, and more! Bargins galore plus the museum’s exhibits!
Gingerbread and a Jolly Trolley Ride
Saturday, December 6
1 p.m.
Latta University Historic Park and Fred Fletcher Park
Welcome the holidays with a fun-filled day exploring two of Raleigh’s historic sites! Visit Latta University Historic Park, then ride the trolley to Fletcher Park where you’ll decorate a gingerbread house inspired by the Latta House.
Santa’s Trolley
Friday, December 12
Saturday, December 13
Sunday, December 14
5 p.m., 6 p.m., 7 p.m.
Historic Raleigh Trolley
Santa is lost in Raleigh, and Holly the Elf needs your help to find him in time for Christmas! Do you know where he might be? Jump aboard the Raleigh Trolley and help Holly the Elf track down Santa in time for Christmas.
Merry
and Bright Market
Saturday, December 13
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Join Santa’s elves for a merry celebration of the most wonderful time of the year! Visit our vendors to find unique gifts, create festive crafts, enjoy seasonal entertainment, and visit the beautifully decorated Mordecai House during the park’s annual Open House weekend.
Holiday Open House
Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Sunday, December 14, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Join us for the annual Holiday Open House at Mordecai Historic Park! See how the Mordecai House would have been decorated over the past 240 years and learn about different holiday traditions. Walk through the beautifully decorated house and enjoy music, games, crafts, and more.
Holidays with the Popes
Saturday, December 20
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum
Visit the Pope House to enjoy period-accurate decorations, music, and games. Relax with the Popes as you learn about 20th-century holiday traditions. This guided tour will also feature delicious treats! This is a free event.
Historic Resources and Museum Program
In July 2012, Raleigh City Council created the Historic Resources and Museum Program, hereinafter the HRM Program, with the express purpose of protecting and programming identified cultural, museum, and historic resources within the City of Raleigh.
The HRM Program manages operations and programs at:
• Borden Building and Stone Circle at Fletcher Park
• City of Raleigh Museum
• Fred Fletcher Amphitheater at Fletcher Park
• John Chavis Memorial Park Carousel – Conservation
• John P. “Top” Greene African American Cultural Park
• Latta University Historic Park
• Moore Square
• Mordecai Historic Park
• Dr. M.T. Pope House Museum
• Pullen Park Historic Attractions
• Raleigh Trolleys
• Tucker House
Additionally, The HRM Program manages an artifact collection consisting of more than 32,000 fine and decorative material culture objects.
Raleigh Register
HRM Program Staff
HRM PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR
Troy Burton
Troy.Burton@RaleighNC.gov
HRM PROGRAM DIRECTOR
HISTORIC SITES
Douglas Porter
Douglas.Porter@RaleighNC.gov
HRM PROGRAM DIRECTOR MUSEUMS
Ernest Dollar
Ernest.Dollar@RaleighNC.gov
HRM CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS
Ainsley Powell
Ainsley.Powell@RaleighNC.gov
HRM CURATOR OF EXHIBITS AND DESIGN
Kathryn Neuhart
Kathryn.Neuhart@RaleighNC.gov
CITY OF RALEIGH MUSEUM
DIRECTOR
Abby Kellerman
Abigail.Kellerman@RaleighNC.Gov
Tucker House 418 N Person Street Raleigh, NC 27601
DR. M.T. POPE HOUSE MUSEUM
SITE DIRECTOR
Hazel Boomer
Hazel.Boomer@RaleighNC.gov
JOHN P. “TOP” GREENE AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL PARK SITE DIRECTOR
Paul Baker
Paul.Baker@RaleighNC.gov
MOORE SQUARE SITE DIRECTOR
David Gill
David.Gill@RaleighNC.gov
MOORE SQUARE ASSISTANT SITE DIRECTOR
Mykey WIlliams
Mykey.Williams@RaleighNC.gov
MOORE SQUARE PROGRAM MANAGER
Nancy Dragotta
Nancy.Dragotta@RaleighNC.gov
US Postage PAID
Raleigh, NC
Permit No. 813
HISTORIC SITES MANAGER
Josh Ingersoll
Joshua.Ingersoll@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC SITES ASSISTANT MANAGER
Kimberly Oliver
Kimberly.Oliver@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS DIRECTOR
Scott Mott
Scott.Mott@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS PROGRAM MANAGER
Savannah Hubbard
Savannah.Hubbard@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Andrew Boos
Andrew.Boos@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS
CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER
Mandy Hunter-Kelly
Amanda.Hunter-Kelly@RaleighNC.gov
Raleigh Parks | Historic Resources and Museum Program