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Graham Historical Museum
About
Special Exhibits & Museum Programs
Research & Resources
Contribute to the Collection
Advisory Board Members
Friends of the Historical Museum Committee
About
Graham Historical Museum
135 West Elm Street
Graham, NC 27253
Phone: (336) 513-5510
Email
Hours of Operation*
Friday & Saturday • 10:00am – 2:00pm
Admission
Free, please no food or drinks
About the Museum
The Graham Historical Museum is one of downtown Graham’s newest attractions. After the completion of an 18-month redesign project, the Museum offers visitors and residents alike a nostalgic and enjoyable trip back in time to the early days of the town.
The building that houses the Graham Historical Museum has a colorful history of its own. Erected in 1911, the building was built to be the Fireman’s Building but was also used as the town hall, the police department, a courtroom, and a small calaboose (jail) located in the rear. In subsequent years, the building served as the Alamance Arts Council until 1996. The firefighters of the Graham Fire Department remodeled the building, and it then became the Graham Historical Museum which opened on June 21, 2001. A 1930 Seagrave fire truck still occupies a prominent place in the museum as a reminder of the building’s original occupants.
The new layout of the museum contains exhibits and photos designed to give visitors a glimpse of Graham life from its earliest days up until the mid-twentieth century while evoking memories and stories from those who grew up in Graham. The first floor of this iconic two-story building is the main section of the museum and a new museum library shares space on the second floor with the Graham Sports Hall of Fame and the Graham Recreation & Parks Administrative Offices.
Group Tours
The Graham Historical Museum is a great place for any group to visit. Located in historic downtown Graham, NC, the museum offers interesting exhibits, photos, and artifacts depicting the early days of Graham up through the mid-20th century. Tours are self-guided, however, a museum docent is always on hand to offer interesting details of the exhibits and answer questions.
In addition to the exhibit space downstairs, the Graham Historical Museum houses a library on the second floor of the building. This room is ideal for use as a reading room or for hosting a gathering of 5 – 8 people.
For more information or to schedule a group tour, please call (336) 513-5510. Tours are free!
Graham Historical Museum Survey
Your assistance in helping us evaluate the Graham Historical Museum is a resource we can use to enable us to improve and build upon the exhibits and programs the Graham Historical Museum Advisory Board provides to the community. Please share your thoughts about your recent visit to the Graham Historical Museum: Graham Historical Museum Survey
Mailing Address
City of Graham – Recreation & Parks
ATTN: Graham Historical Museum
PO Drawer 357
Graham, NC 2725
Special Exhibits & Museum Programs
Special Exhibits
Upcoming Exhibits in 2024
February – April: “Homelife in Graham (200 years)” – displaying cookware, dinnerware, cleaning practices, garden tools, etc.
March – June: “Notable Women of Graham” (March: Women’s History Month) – Sarah Rhyne (First Lady of Graham), Carrie Thompson (First Woman Councilperson), Montese Packenham (longtime cook at the Civic Center), Jeanne Robertson (her exhibit stands on its own), Agnes Burke (first woman Postmistress), Alma Gowens (first woman jailer) – Others might include Anne Maynard (GHS basketball coach and guidance counselor), Jane Albright (Nevada State Women’s BB coach and graduate of GHS), and Robyn Hadley (Rhodes Scholar and Vice Chancellor of Washington University)
Past Exhibits
February 2022: Black History Month
March 2022: Women’s History Month
April – June 2022: Churches of Graham
October – December 2022: Artists & Writers of Graham, featuring local artists and writers connected to Graham
January – March 2023: Graham Architectural Artifacts: One Hundred Years of Homes in Graham – The exhibit features homes from Graham from each decade 1850-1950, with owners listed, structural descriptions, and architectural pieces connected to each home.
April – June 2023: Vintage Quilts Exhibit – Quilts Handcrafted Over 50 Years Ago
July – September 2023: Jeanne Swanner Robertson in honor of her 80th birthday which would have been in September 2023
October 2023 – January 2024: 100 years of the Graham Courthouse (cornerstone laid in November 1923)
March – July 2024: “Notable Women of Graham”
August – September 2024 – “School Days in Graham”
Upcoming Programs
Lunch-and-Learn at the Graham Historical Museum
Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2024 • Times: 12:00pm – 1:00pm • Register Online
Topic: The Founding of Alamance County & Graham and the People Who Made It Happen
Speaker: Russell Compton, local historian
Ages: high school/college/adult audience
Cost: Free, registration is required, and space is limited
Location: Graham Civic Center • 503 McGee Street, Graham, NC 27253
Details: This program will take place in the outdoor courtyard of the Graham Historical Museum (rain or shine, we will move indoors in the case of inclement weather). Bring your sack lunch and a friend. Admission is free, but seating is limited, and registration is required. View past Lunch-and-Learn programs on the City of Graham’s YouTube channel.
Graham Historical Cemetery Tour
Date: TBD
Times: TBD
Ages: high school/college/adult audience
Cost: Free (registration is required, and space is limited)
Location: Start/End at the Graham Recreation Center • 311 College Street, Graham, NC 27253
Details: TBD
Museum Collector Cards
The Graham Historical Museum Board offered Graham Historical Museum Collector Cards featuring special exhibit highlights and facts. The packets of cards were released throughout 2022 and 2023 and were available to museum visitors while supplies lasted.
2022 Collection
April – June: Providence Church, Johnathan Thomas Walton Zachary, Wyatt Outlaw, Gamewell Telegraph/Pull Box Alarm
July – September: Color Rusell, Cristo Cola Bottling Works, W.J. Nicks Mercantile, Alamance Gleaner
October – December: 1930 Seagrave Fire Truck, Elmhurst, Jeanne Swanner Robertson, Lacy Holt Jugs
2023 Collection
January – April: Sarah Hambright Rhyne, Civic Groups, Children’s Chapel UCC
May – August: Crazy Quilt, Harden House, Silver Coach
September – December: Bradley Rich, Orange Hotel, Hwy 87 Covered Bridge
A Special Thank You
The Graham Historical Museum Advisory Board would like to thank special guests, Russell Compton and Melanie Cook, for their support of the Museum during the 2021 holiday season. As Graham celebrated its 60th annual Christmas Parade, dressed in 1860s era costumes as the historical “Captain White and Mrs. White”, Russell and Melanie strolled the sidewalks handing out information about the Graham Historical Museum and inviting parade attendees to visit the museum following the parade. Melanie, constructed and provided the costumes and the pair volunteered to bring a bit of visual history to the City’s festivities. Following the Christmas Parade, “Captain White and Mrs. White” also made their way to the Captain White House, home of Alamance Arts, to visit and enjoy the City of Graham’s Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration and Downtown Graham’s Ice Skating Rink.
Research & Resources
Research & Resources
eBooks
A History of the Christian Church in the South by Durward T. Stokes & William T. Scott
A History of the Graham Presbyterian Church, 1850-1983 by Durward Stokes
Centennial History of Alamance County, 1849-1949 by Walter E. Whitaker
Elon College: It’s History and Traditions by Durwood T. Stokes
This History of Alamance by Sallie Walker Stockard
A History of Alamance Church, 1762-1918 by E.C. Murray
Reconstruction in North Carolina by Joseph Grégoire de Roulhac
Centennial History of Alamance County, 1849-1949) by Walter E. Whitaker, Staley A. Cook (Staley Albright), A. Howard White, Alamance County Historical Association
Biographical History of North Carolina from Colonial Times to the Present by Samuel A. Ashe
The Alstons and Allstons of North and South Carolina by Joseph A. Groves
Websites
Digital Collections of the State Archives of North Carolina and the State Library of North Carolina
Historical Markers and War Memorials in North Carolina
World’s Largest Gravesite Collection
Alamance County Public Libraries
The Alamance County Public Libraries* has a wealth of information on local history that can be located at the following link https://alamancelibraries.libguides.com/az/databases. *a library card is required to access some of the websites listed
Topics include, but are not limited to:
• Alamance Genealogist Magazine: Triannual genealogy magazine devoted to the family history of north Central North Carolina for more than 35 years; Alamance County, NC was formed from old Orange County, NC in 1849.
• Ancestry Library Edition: Ancestry Library Edition – With more than 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, Ancestry Library Edition includes records from the United States Census; military records; court, land, and probate records; vital and church records; directories; passenger lists and more.
• ArchiveGrid: Access to primary source information, including birth and death records, ship logs, and cemetery records.
• Digital Public Library of America: The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) provides access to millions of photographs, manuscripts, books, sounds, moving images, and more from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Find primary sources to use in school projects, academic research, family history research, and more.
• Digital Sanborn Maps (1867-1970): Digital Sanborn Maps (1867-1970) for North Carolina delivers detailed property and land-use records that depict the grid of everyday life in 158 North Carolina towns and cities across a century of change. About Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867–1970. Founded in 1867 by D. A. Sanborn, the Sanborn Map Company was the primary American publisher of fire insurance. Sanborn Insurance Maps of Burlington, North Carolina [1924]
• Heritage Quest: An NC LIVE database that you can access with your library card, HeritageQuest provides access to U.S. census records, books, Revolutionary War service records, and Freedman’s Bank deposit or records. It also can lead you to resources on how to do genealogy research.
• NC Live: Offers citizens of North Carolina online access to complete articles from over 10,000 newspapers, journals, magazines, and encyclopedias, indexing for over 20,000 periodical titles, and access to over 24,000 electronic books. NC LIVE is available free of charge to library patrons, both in the library and remotely.
Additional Resources
Graham, North Carolina: A City Designed for Living
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center (Digital Yearbooks)
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center (Jeanne Swanner Scrapbooks)
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center (Sanborn Insurance Maps)
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center (Telegrams – Miss North Carolina Pageant)
North Carolina Digital Heritage Center (The Bus Book)
View The Alamance Gleaner Newspaper
Contribute to the Collection
Interested in Donating to the Graham Historical Museum Collection
Thank you for your interest in contributing a piece of history to the Graham Historical Museum. As stewards of Graham’s history, the Museum Advisory Board is committed to preserving and sharing the collection and archives that reflect the people who have lived here. These collections encompass the heritage of the Graham community, and all of those items have been donated or placed on loan from individuals, families, and organizations. Items donated to the Historical Museum are preserved at the museum to be used for research, interpretation of community history, and as artifacts and education programs.
If you are interested in donating or loaning items to the Graham Historical Museum, please call (336) 513-5510 for additional information.
Agreement for Incoming Loans
Deed of Gift
NOTE: Artifacts cannot be accepted without prior communication with the Museum Acquisition Committee.
Video Interviews – Tell Us Your Story
In an effort to create a living historical account of Graham, the Museum Advisory Board is currently conducting video interviews of residents who grew up in Graham during the early- and mid-twentieth century. This project will record first-hand accounts of life in Graham from those who lived here. Stories can be about shopping in downtown Graham, attending school, working, or simply what day-to-day life was like in Graham. Once interviews have been completed, a video will be produced and shown on a digital kiosk in the Graham Historical Museum during hours of operation.
If you are interested in sharing your memories with the Graham Historical Museum, please call (336) 513-5510 for additional information or record your own and upload online.
Advisory Board Members
Graham Historical Museum Advisory Board
Graham Historical Museum Advisory BoardThe Graham Historical Museum Advisory Board’s function is to serve in an advisory capacity to City Council and, most importantly, act as a responsible steward of all artifacts entrusted to the Museum.
The advisory board plays a vital role in the operation of the Historical Museum. Board members work to initiate programs and community events that highlight Graham’s history, serve as docents during Museum hours of operation, and act as the acquisition and accession committee for artifacts offered to the Museum.
The Graham Historical Museum, collects, preserves, displays, and interprets the records, relics, and artifacts that contribute to the understanding and appreciation of the history of the City of Graham.
How to Serve
If you are a resident of the City of Graham or its extra territorial jurisdiction (ETJ), you are eligible to serve on the Historical Museum Advisory Board. The seven members of the board are appointed by the Graham City Council and each serve three-year terms. If you are interested in applying for a seat on the Museum Advisory Board, please call (336) 513-5510 or apply online.
Meetings
When: 4th Tuesday of each month
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Graham Historical Museum • 135 West Elm Street, Graham, NC 27253 These meetings are open to the public. Street parking is available. For more information, please email Brian Faucette, Graham Recreation & Parks Director.
Members & Term Expires
TBD | Chair
TBD | Co-Chair
Noelle Purcell | Secretary (2025)
Karen Chin (2025)
John Harrington (2027)
Melissa Holmes (2027)
James Mullen (2026)
Chuck Talley (2026)
Gail Walker (2027)
Joey Parsons – City Council Liaison
Brian Faucette – City Staff Liaison
Friends of the Historical Museum Committee
Friends of the Graham Historical Museum Committee
This volunteer group is open to anyone interested in supporting the Graham Historical Museum (ages: 18 & up, those ages 15-17 interested in volunteering will be partnered with a museum docent 18 & up). There are no residency requirements or minimum service hours required.
Volunteers on the Friends of the Historical Museum Committee are called upon to help the Advisory Board with special events at the Museum, serve as docents during Museum hours of operation or group tours, and help with administrative tasks as needed.
It takes many helping hands to run a successful museum, and the Friends of the Historical Museum Committee is an integral and valuable part of the Graham Historical Museum operation.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the historical museum team, please complete this online form. A member of the Museum Advisory Board will contact you.
City of Graham Recreation & Parks Volunteer: Waiver & Release
Background Check
If you have questions about the Friends of the Historical Museum Committee, please call (336) 513-5510.
Graham Historical Museum Board Mission
It is the mission of The Historical Museum Advisory Board to serve as responsible stewards of all artifacts entrusted to the Museum and use those items to enhance the experience of all who come to the Museum.
The Graham Historical Museum Advisory Board will work to expand the Museum’s collection while maintaining an environment that exhibits artifacts in a well-organized and visually appealing setting.
The Historical Museum Advisory Board will uphold a high standard of curatorial practices and be a resource for scholars, historians, educators, and history buffs.
The Historical Museum Advisory Board will develop programs that appeal to a diverse audience and endeavor to be a cultural and charitable contributor to the Graham community.