Administrator’s Letter
Hello again from the Historic Resources and Museum (HRM) Program! We hope you enjoy reading this latest issue of the Raleigh Register. As we move into summer and begin to enjoy days at the beach listening to the sounds of the ocean or nights under the stars listening to a concert, we thought what better time to explore music across our program. The HRM Program in Raleigh, NC, offers a wide array of musical experiences across our attractions, sites, and museums, reflecting Raleigh’s rich cultural heritage and diverse historical narratives. The HRM Program not only preserves artifacts and architecture but also serve as vibrant venues for musical performances and events. Please enjoy learning more about these experiences in this issue and for more detailed information please visit our website.
As always, feel free to reach out to me anytime for questions, comments, or feedback. I am always interested in ways we can make our programs better and for feedback.
Troy Burton Administrator HRM Program
919-996-4772
troy.burton@raleighnc.gov
Chair’s Letter
There are some eras of music which leave enduring impressions in history. Last summer on August 12, 2023, downtown Raleigh was bustling with spectators ready to enjoy the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop celebration. The event was a huge success with many in attendance wanting to know if and when another musical celebration of this kind would return to downtown Raleigh. What if a Motown celebration came to Raleigh? I am a 60’s girl and I just can’t get the Motown era out of my head. I remember the distinct harmonies of the Temptations. The Supremes really reigned supreme. Smokey Robinson and the Miracles gave us “Tears of a Clown.” Stevie Wonder wowed audiences with songs like “Superstition.” We were mesmerized by the Jackson 5’s choreography and singing. The songs of the soulful duo of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrel touched our hearts. Can you just imagine us dancing to Martha and the Vandella’s “Dancing in the Street”? A History of Motown celebration is certainly an observance that will have me dancing in the streets of downtown Raleigh.
Audrey Morgan Chair
HRM Advisory Board
Cover Photograph:
Tarish Pipkins from Jeghetto Puppetry performs during the International Children’s Day at COR Museum.
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Collections Corner: Raleigh is Rhythmic
Ainsley Powell, Curator of Collections
North Carolina State College album, ca. 1940
Wurlitzer Organ reel for carousel, 1929
Photograph of WPTF broadcast, October 23, 1976
Program for Marian Anderson concert, October 13, 1941
Board game with a musical surprise, after 1962
Fiddlers’ Convention in Raleigh
Douglas Porter, Program Director, Historic Sites
Fiddlers’ Conventions are often associated with the hill country of North Carolina and Virginia. But did you know Raleigh hosted the “North Carolina Fiddlers’ Convention” at Pullen Park every Labor Day weekend from 1905 to 1914? The convention, which crowned the state champion fiddler each year, welcomed musicians from across the state. A 1905 report claimed, “there was not a white tie in the bunch. . . . the majority [of musicians] were right off the farm with mud on their shoes and their regular every-day clothes.” Years later, in 1990, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music (PineCone) invited fiddlers and other Old-Time musicians to Raleigh for a convention—once again at Pullen Park on Labor Day weekend—in honor of the original event. Around the same time, PineCone hosted “Heritage Days” at Mordecai Historic Park which also featured traditional and bluegrass music. Heritage Days, which ran from 19871990, brought in established and up-and-coming musicians from across the state and beyond. The 1988 roster even included a 17-year-old Alison Krauss who fiddled and sang on the lawn.
A group of musicians at the 1905 convention. The wagon in the background advertised the event and paraded contestants through the city following the competition. News and Observer, August 30, 1991.
Advertisement. News and Observer, September 2, 1990.
Music Man
Kathryn Neuhart, Curator of Exhibits and Design
Music Man: The Life and Legacy of Joseph Winters is an exhibit about Raleigh policeman and music entrepreneur, Joseph Winters, who shaped the Capital City’s cultural landscape by working with musical legends including James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles to perform in Raleigh. An excerpt reads:
Aretha Franklin performed on February 9, 1969, in Dorton Arena at the NC State Fairgrounds to an audience of approximately 8,000. Joseph Winters, Sr. first booked Franklin in May 1967, just a month after she recorded her cover of Otis Redding’s song “Respect.” Following the booking, Franklin catapulted to stardom, and it took two more years for Winters to sign a contract with her. At $20,000, it was the biggest music contract Winters ever signed. Franklin demanded half the money up front and collected the rest at the show’s intermission.
This HRM Program travel exhibit, as well as A Delicious Country; Sacred Spaces, Sacred Stories: Mount Hope Cemetery; Latta’s Living Legacy: Reverend M.L. Latta and The Latta University; Let Us March On: Raleigh’s Journey Towards Civil Rights; and Raleigh Underground are available for rental! For more information, please reach out to Kathryn.Neuhart@RaleighNC.gov
Page from a reproduced souvenir program listing music performers, ca. 1950s.
The Raleigh Underground travel exhibit at Oberlin Regional Library.
Upcoming Events
Dream Moore Market Series
Every Sunday
1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Moore Square Park
Pick up your local produce and treats, meet up with friends, and enjoy live music at the Dream Moore Market! Enjoy a picnic and games in the park or lunch from local restaurants, get some shopping done at nearby stores, and make an afternoon in DTR.
Dix Fireworks Bus Depot
Thursday, July 4
5:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Moore Square
Free shuttles from downtown to Dix Park for 4th of July fireworks.
First Friday
July 5, August 2, September 6
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Come out to the museum during downtown Raleigh’s First Friday event to explore our exhibits!
First Friday’s @ Moore Square –Market & Movie Night
August 2, September 6
5 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Moore Square
Join us for food trucks, live entertainment, local market, free games, and a free outdoor movie night. Market curated by Get 2 Know Raleigh. Movie begins at 7:30.
Body and Soul: The Intimate Experience of Civil War Soldiers
Saturday, July 13
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Explore the personal experiences of Civil War soldiers through three unique perspectives: Dr. James Broomall, The Good Death Undone: The Fate of North Carolinians at Gettysburg. Dr. Douglas Porter, “The Unholy Cause”: Religion and Dissent in Civil War Era North Carolina. Wade Sokolosky, The Wounded of Raleigh’s Pettigrew Hospital.
African American Baseball Symposium
Saturday, July 20
10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Join scholars, fans, and former players in the City of Raleigh Museum to explore the History of African Americans in baseball.
Baseball Card Trading and Trivia Night
Friday, July 26
7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
City of Raleigh Museum
Bring in your team for a baseball trivia night at the museum! Win prizes, show off your baseball trivia knowledge, trade baseball cards, enjoy light refreshments and explore our new Diamond Days exhibit!
Final Friday Fitness and Food Trucks Series
July 26, August 30, September 27
5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Moore Square
Join us on the Final Friday of every month through October for a unique series where fitness embraces festivity. Each month, we feature a new, free workout led by local fitness experts, surrounded by Raleigh’s finest food trucks and local vendors.
Jazz in the Square
Thursday, August 8 and 22
Thursday, September 12 and 26
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Moore Square
Grab a blanket or chair and head to Moore Square for our new music series Jazz in the Square! Enjoy the smooth sounds of local jazz artists, delicious food options, and the unique downtown atmosphere of Moore Square.
Free Friday
Friday, August 23
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Mordecai Historic Park will offer free tours every 30 minutes on this special Friday!
Hopscotch
Thursday, September 5 to Saturday, September 7 12 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Moore Square
Hopscotch Music Festival, called “America’s (Secretly) Best Festival” and “the premiere experimental and underground festival in America”, features more than 130 bands over three days in venues throughout downtown Raleigh. Tickets required.
Homeschool History Day
Friday, September 6
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Mordecai Historic Park
Homeschoolers, join us for a fun-filled day at Mordecai Historic Park! Activities include harvest-themed crafts, demonstrations, and special kids’ house and trolley tours.
Ever After
Saturday, September 28
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Borden Building and Fred Fletcher Park
Join us on an epic quest to discover a time of castles, knights, and dragons! Experience the rich world of medieval fantasy and the history behind this favorite era of the imagination. Shop a themed market, create crafts, and enjoy family-friendly performances.
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 Community Center
• Latta University Historic Park
• Moore Square
• Mordecai Historic Park
• Pope House Museum
• Pullen Park Historic Attractions
• Raleigh Trolleys
• Tucker House
Additionally, The HRM Program manages an artifact collection consisting of more than 27,000 fine and decorative material culture objects.
Raleigh Register
Raleigh Parks | Historic Resources and Museum Program
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
MOORE SQUARE DIRECTOR
David Gill
David.Gill@RaleighNC.gov
MOORE SQUARE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Mykey WIlliams
Mykey.Williams@RaleighNC.gov
Tucker House 418 N Person Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
US Postage PAID
Raleigh, NC
Permit No. 813
MUSEUMS DIRECTOR Vacant
ASSISTANT MUSEUMS DIRECTOR Vacant
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
Deanna Ludwick
Deanna.Ludwick@RaleighNC.gov
HISTORIC ATTRACTIONS OPERATIONS MANAGER
Andrew Boos
Andrew.Boos@RaleighNC.gov
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RESERVATIONS MANAGER
Vacant