LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER SOMETIMES YOU JUST
NEED A NEW LOOK. WE SHOULD KNOW! FAMILY-OWNED SINCE 1988,
SEW FINE II IS NOW MAX HUGO INTERIOR DESIGN
DESIGN WITH US IN 2021 S T U DIO HOURS: Monday to Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday by appointment 5850 Fayetteville Rd, Suite 104, Durham, NC 27713
Full Circle
I
first learned that I had ties to Chatham County as I looked through my great-grandmother’s old Bible. I found an obituary for my great-great-grandfather tucked into it. He was a native of Bear Creek; he later moved to Alamance County, but his brother and his son remained in Chatham – Siler City, to be specific. I moved from Alamance to Chatham, continuing the cycle. Whether you have deep roots or are newly planted here, I think you will be excited to learn more about Chatham’s past in this issue. In these pages, we kick off the celebration of the county’s 250th anniversary. Discover a condensed version of our lengthy history on page 26. Meet the artist behind the official Chatham 250 logo on page 32. Flip to page 40 for a historic look at the rivers, farms, streams and trading routes that established Pittsboro as the seat of the county. After looking back, we look forward to the new developments and changes that are happening in Chatham. Leaders share their hopes for Chatham’s future on page 30, and we meet with several developers on page 48 who have big plans that are adapting quickly from lessons learned in this past year. You’ll find our annual updated camp guide on page 65 and, in keeping with the theme of Chatham’s 250th anniversary, you can also learn about families who have lived here for generations and how Chatham’s school system has changed over the years beginning on page 56. My journey back to Chatham brought me full circle, and I’ve made it my home for 21 years. I look forward to sharing this issue with my aunts, uncles and cousins in Alamance so that they, too, can feel more connected to this land and our community. CM
(919) 806-3638 design@MaxHugoInteriors.com
Publisher chris@chathammagazinenc.com
MAXHUGOINTERIORS.COM
A COMMUNITY'S LOSS As many of you are aware, Gene Oldham, who owned S & T’s Soda Shoppe along with his wife, Vicky Oldham, passed away in December. My daughter, Taylor Elkins, went to Northwood High School with Gene’s son T.J. Oldham and his wife, Jenna Oldham. My family celebrated my kids’ soccer and baseball game wins with burgers and ice cream at S & T’s. Gene and Vicky were there to celebrate with us. Like many of you, we will miss seeing Gene at the cash register. THE COVER By Kevin Brown 6
CHATHAM MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021