It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Executive Director, Jennifer Kuykendall. Our prayers are with her family as we share their grief of her passing.
The family has asked Instead of flowers “that you use hearts and hands to make the community a better place, one act at a time. You can best honor Jen by identifying someone or a situation that needs help and do what you can to help, making our community better one small act at a time.”
The museum received a wonderful donation from the Shirley family this week! The collection of items is related to the iconic BBQ restaurant, Wilber’s, that celebrated it’s 60th year in business this July. The donations include memorabilia, photos, restaurant merchandise, and MANY magazines and newspapers, all featuring articles about the restaurant and Mr. Wilber Shirley, its founder. We are excited to be able to add these pieces of local BBQ history to our displays.
It was a full capacity crowd for our Back to School Celebration for Kids today. There was a student play starring Mrs. Frizzle, arts & crafts, a scavenger hunt, face painting, a back-to-school supply giveaway sponsored by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices McMillen & Associates Realty, refreshments, and ice-cream out on our porch. Everyone had a great time at this free & fun annual event! Our kids educational event series will resume again next year. Thank you to all of our visitors, volunteers, staff, and event organizers. Have fun at school this year and study hard!
Today is “International Museum Day”! The purpose of the day is to raise awareness that museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation, and peace among peoples. Museums serve as dynamic educational hubs, fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Have you visited your local Museum lately? Come check out all that we have to offer! We are free to the public and open Tues-Fri 11-4pm and Sat. 10-5pm.
Today is National Vietnam Veterans day, and this is the 6th year that the museum has hosted the Vietnam Veterans Day Welcome Home Event organized by the Wayne County Veterans & Patriots Coalition Inc. It is always a very moving and emotional ceremony and we are honored to take part in it every year. We thank every Wayne County veteran for their service and sacrifice!
Our Kids Fairytale Festival Educational Event was so much fun! Everyone enjoyed trying STEM activities and related art & Crafts! Join us for our next kids educational event, our annual “Mayday Festival” on April 27th.
Did you know that the term “moonshine” is said to have originated in our state, and the production of illegal whiskey has been a part of Eastern NC history for centuries? Do you have any Moonshine, Bootlegger, or Prohibition-related items or paraphernalia in your own collection? Do you have a good story or information about prohibition, moonshiners, bootleggers, local speakeasies, or liquor houses in this or the surrounding eastern NC counties? We would love to talk to you about them for our upcoming Summer exhibit, “Moonshine, Bootleggers, Temperance, and Prohibition” that will be opening on June 1st. Contact us as we’d love to hear from you!
Our Spring/Summer show will be “Moonshine, Temperance, and Bootlegging.” It will explore the history and traditions of Eastern NC moonshiners and Bootleggers and the Temperance Movement that brought about prohibition. The Eighteenth Amendment was ratified on January 16, 1919, and forbade the making of, sale, or transportation of alcohol, but it failed to keep any of those things from happening. The exhibit will open on Saturday, June 1st.
This worn World War I metal plaque was recently donated to the museum by the Benton family of Wayne County. The plaque measures 7.5 X 9.5 inches and is dated 1918. It was discovered in an open field on the Benton family farm in northern Wayne County. A mystery, the Benton family does not know how it ended up on their farm or to what soldier it belonged. The 106 year-old plaque is in amazingly good condition. Apparently these plaques were awarded to American soldiers who served in Europe during World War I.
The plaque reads: “LIBERTY’S ETERNAL TRIUMPH!
A TRIBUTE TO ONE WHO SERVED 1917-1918 MARSHAL FOCH’S VICTORY MESSAGE TO ALLIED SOLDIERS” the text goes on to say: ” Officers, noncommissioned officers, and soldiers of the allied armies: After having resolutely stopped the enemy you have for months fought him with faith and indefatigable energy, without respite. You have won the greatest war in history and saved the most sacred cause – the liberty of the world. Be proud. You have adorned your flags with immortal glory. Posterity preserves for you its recognition.”
There is a space at the bottom of the plaque where the soldier’s name would have been engraved. Sadly, this soldier’s identity remains a mystery.
