MUSEUM UPDATE

Kiwanians get briefing on museum, theater

W. TERRY SMITH

The check is in the mail so the Tarboro Kiwanis Club got a State of the Museum briefing on Tuesday night at its weekly meeting.

Kiwanis President Ronnie Daughtry said $500 is donated annually to the Edgecombe County Veterans Museum. The Kiwanians, including the Golden K Club, have been generous supporters of the museum.

Museum Chairman Calvin Anderson and former chairman Joe Spiers gave updates while former chairman Joe Bourne was a special guest.

Anderson recalled the museum’s history, which began unofficially when Bourne, the late Col. J.W. Wood and others talked about the need for such a facility.

It began officially on July 5, 2004, about 45 people showed up to see Bourne, Anderson and others put up a banner in front of the former Chamber of Commerce building on Main Street. Inside was about 50 square feet for what would the beginnings of the museum.

Donations of uniforms and other memorabilia rolled in and by September the museum had outgrown its space and moved into an office space in the renovated Bridgers Building.

“We were offered a year of free rent,” Anderson said. “That year went by fast and we discovered we needed more room.”

When the Tarboro Police Department made plans to move into the old BB&T; building, Bourne, Anderson and Spiers went to Town Council and requested use of the former cop shop at 106 W. Church St. and the former sergeants building in the Ruffin House at 509 Trade St.

Permission was granted May 1, 2006, and Anderson and James Earl Gatling led a team of volunteers, including Kiwanian Nancy Lane, that “tore it down and built it back up,” Anderson said.

Bobby O’Neal contributed carpet tile, fluorescent lights and furniture. The Friends of the Museum raised money to pay for materials and utilities. The Kiwanis Club helped outfit a resources room that had a television, VCR, DVD player and books, lots of books.

"This is an annual project for us," said Daughtry. "We want students to visit and learn about the sacrifices our veterans have made for their country and freedom."

The museum's grand opening was April 21, 2007. It includes photos of more than 500 Edgecombe veterans plus items from every conflict that are either on loan or been donated, including a World War II Harley-Davidson motorcycle. More than 4,500 visitors have signed the register.

When the Chamber of Commerce lease expired, the museum’s board of directors stepped up and offered the Ruffin House that has become the Chamber’s new address.

Anderson pointed out part-time curator Carol Banks is responsible for rotating displays and keeping the museum interesting with fresh looks.

“We want more schoolchildren to visit,” he said.

The museum’s latest project is the military-themed mural on the south wall of the Colonial Theater, “a tribute to all veterans,” Anderson said.

Anderson passed around a sketch of what the mural will look like. Artist Michael Brown of Chapel Hill is scheduled to start painting Sept. 1.

Bourne bought the 90-year-old theater – the first motion picture theater in the Twin Counties – at 514 Main St. in July 2005, fixed the roof and donated it to the museum.

Attempts at obtaining grant funds have been mostly unsuccessful, but Spiers is hopeful grant writing by new volunteer Brent Lubbock of the Sylvan Heights Water Fowl Park in Scotland Neck will turn that around.

“We need $300,000,” Spiers said.

He sees the theater as place to show “old-timey movies,” a home for the Tar River Players, a place for dance recitals and other performances. People have inquired about having weddings there.

“In the architecture of Tarboro, (the theater) occupies a special place,” said Kiwanian Bryan Haislip, pointing out it was the last art deco style building in the county.

Advertising on the refurbished marquee has generated $23,000 to date. The rate is $500 for two weeks.

“It has a lot of potential for a little town,” Spiers said.

Bourne pointed out the memorial brick display next to the south wall. Two hundred bricks have been placed and another 200 will be placed soon. It is meant as a tribute and fund-raising project.

“It makes a great present for $100,” Spiers said. 

The museum has 261 members.

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