Poker Run on Saturday

A reminder that the CCHA's first poker run, visiting historic sites throughout Catawba County, will be held on Saturday, June 19. For more information, see below or visit Murray's Mill on Facebook.

Summer reading: Truth Magazine, 1899 [part 1]

" How racy was this?"

 

Here are some scans from summer issues of Truth magazine from 1899. I have not been able to found a lot of information on this social commentary publication, but from what I found on PBS's History Detectives website has been quite interesting. Here's an excerpt from an interview:

Rich West: It’s a great image. This is very typical of the work that he did for “Truth” magazine in the 1890s.

Wes: I’m not familiar with “Truth” magazine.

Rich: It was a dominant 1890s publication. They called themselves “the handsomest illustrated magazine in the world.”

Wes: Oh, great!

Rich: And this is an example, I think, of why it could rightly claim that title.

Wes: So, Rich, have you seen this particular image in “Truth?”

Rich: It’s vaguely familiar to me. I may have seen it before, but I can’t really place it.

Wes: So what exactly would this have looked like in the magazine?

Rich: Well, I’m sure they had the name “Truth” up at the top that’s been trimmed off and there most certainly was a caption on the bottom that’s been lost.

Wes: Really?

Rich: It’s very rare to find any 1890s artwork where the editor couldn’t resist putting in a tag line. Yeah, I suspect it’s not because the artist supplied these beautiful drawings, but the editors supplied the captions, and my guess is it’s probably wittier than that.

Wes: Do you have any copies of “Truth?”

Rich: Yes.

Wes: Can we take a look at some?

Rich: Sure, let’s go.

Wes: Okay, great.

Rich: So there’s a woman on the cover.

Wes: That’s unusual, isn’t it?

Rich: Yes, especially this early. Of course, after the turn of the century, every magazine in America had a woman on the cover, but at this time, it was an unusual thing.

Wes: How racy was this?

Rich: There were a lot of libraries that refused to subscribe to a magazine like “Truth” because it was not appropriate family reading matter.

Summer time

From the archives...some lovely ladies and gentlemen enjoying warm weather...anybody know who they might be or where they are? The last photo looks like maybe a 4th of July celebration...do you see the American flags?

Sherrills Ford Strings

We recently acquired a photograph to add to our archives. The writing on the back says, "Sherrills Ford Young Tarheels Farmers Band 1934-36." It was given by Mr. Charlton Lindler, who is the last on the right in the first row, with the banjo. Thank you for your contribution! Does anyone know anything more about this group?

Confederate Memorial

Monday marked Confederate Memorial Day in both North and South Carolina. May 10 commemorates Stonewall Jackson's death in 1863 and the capture of Jefferson Davis in 1865. Five other states also officially observe Confederate Memorial Day: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas. Common events on this date include services and ceremonies to place flags and wreaths on Confederate graves and memorials. This wreath was added by the UDC to the memorial on the courthouse square in downtown Newton.

The holiday is usually surrounded by controversy. What do readers think? Is Confederate Memorial Day necessary? Did you know about the ceremony?

The first Mother's Day holiday

From The History Channel:

"On this day in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issues a presidential proclamation that officially establishes the first national Mother's Day holiday to celebrate America's mothers.

The idea for a "Mother's Day" is credited by some to Julia Ward Howe (1872) and by others to Anna Jarvis (1907), who both suggested a holiday dedicated to a day of peace. Many individual states celebrated Mother's Day by 1911, but it was not until Wilson lobbied Congress in 1914 that Mother's Day was officially set on the second Sunday of every May. In his first Mother's Day proclamation, Wilson stated that the holiday offered a chance to "[publicly express] our love and reverence for the mothers of our country."

This sweet photograph of a mother and daughter is from the archives. Happy Mother's Day!

V-E (Victory in Europe) Day

May 8, 1945 marks V-E or VE Day, the day on which the Allied forces accepted the surrender of Nazi German forces, ending the reign Adolf Hitler's Third Reich in Europe. Many of Catawba County's World War II vets served in the European Theater. We'd like to share a few snapshots of Catawba soldiers we've had the pleasure of scanning over the past few weeks: 

  

"Hello Mom, This is me taking it easy on a spring day here in Germany. I'll be sitting on the porch at home soon. Love, Joe"

Opening Day

In celebration of the start of baseball season, a few photos from the archives...for more baseball, know that the Hickory Crawdads play their first home game 4/16!

Vintage Easter greetings

From the archives...

WWII Interview Updates

The staff at the Catawba County Historical Association has been having a wonderful time interviewing local WWII veterans and their families. The stories we have the opportunity to hear have been just incredible. Their experiences and sacrifices are a debt that can never be repaid. It's an honor to be able to record their stories they've shared.

Often the most surprising aspects of the interviews are the artifacts, or as one veteran put it, the "trinkets," that they have kept over the years. Sometimes they arrive in grocery bags or shoe boxes, but what they contain are priceless glimpses into the past during a world-altering war. From souvenirs to insignia, we've seen a huge variety of pieces that the men and women have treasured. We'd like to post of few of things we've seen so far. Hope you enjoy as much as we have!

It's Annual Pottery Festival time!

The 13th annual Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010, at the Hickory Metro Convention Center, I-40, Exit 125 in Hickory, NC from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

The Festival is a fundraising event for two non-profit institutions, the Catawba County Historical Association and the North Carolina Pottery Center. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $2.00 for children 12 and under and are available at the door. Ticket holders will be entered into a drawing for door prizes.

Friday night, March 26, 2010 is the Preview Party from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. A southern-style supper, live entertainment, and the early buying opportunity make this a popular event. Advance tickets are required and must be purchased by March 19, 2010. Tickets are $40. No Preview Party tickets will be sold at the door. Please call 828-324-7294 for purchase information.


Do you have a piece of pottery of unknown background? Representatives from the North Carolina Pottery Collectors' Guild will be available to offer expert opinions on the possible background and history of individual collectors' pieces.

In addition to the 110 pottery and antique vendors from all over the Southeast, this year's festival will feature a pottery exhibit prepared by Dr. Terry Zug, retired University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor and author of Turners and Burners: The Folk Potters of North Carolina.

The speaker this year is Stephen C. Compton, a native of Alamance County, North Carolina. Steve holds an A.B. in anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, M.Div. from Duke University, and D. Min. from Emory University and currently is the district superintendent for the Sanford District of The United Methodist Church. He formerly served as president of the board of directors for the North Carolina Pottery Center and was a founding member and first president of the North Carolina Pottery Collectors’ Guild.

An avid collector of North Carolina pottery for nearly twenty years, Steve has assembled a group of about 1,000 pieces of pottery dating from the 18th century to the present, including utilitarian earthenware, stoneware, and art pottery. Objects from his collection have been displayed in numerous exhibits and publications. Publication of a book edited by him, North Carolina Earthenware: Origin of a Ceramic Tradition, is pending.

For further information on the Catawba Valley Pottery and Antiques Festival, please contact 828-322-3943 or
828-324-7294.

Happy birthday, Mr. Murray!

John Lambert Murray was born on February 10, 1877 to William A. Murray and Harriet R. Murray in the Balls Creek community. William worked at the Wike and McNeil mill and eventually bought Wike's half around 1883, making him the first of three generations of Murrays to run the mill.

Around 1898, John bought the mill from his father and ran the business until it closed in 1967. " We made wheat into flour and corn into meal, and we shipped in a lot of wheat besides what we ground for farmers around here," said John Murray when interviewed for his 100th birthday.

In 1901, John married Minnie Cleola Minges. The couple had ten children: six sons and four daughters. All of the boys worked in the mill at one time or another. One son, Loyd, even took over the business when John semi-retired.

His wife died in early 1967, and John lived by himself in his house above the mill until just after he turned 100, when he went to live at Hickory Heath Care Inc. John was not alone in his picturesque setting - at least four of his children lived around the mill, as well as nieces and nephews.

When he died on January 4 , 1982, John was the oldest resident in Catawba County. One son and two daughters preceded him in death, but his surviving family included two sisters, five sons, two daughters, 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, three great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Snowy and Serene

I [Jennifer] drove past Old St. Paul's one morning and saw a beautiful image of the lines of tombstones through the snow. I drive by there almost every day, but seeing it in the snow made me pause for a few moments. Think of how many snows the Old St. Paul's church and cemetery have seen. It was a very peaceful and quiet morning; only two cars drove by in the 20mins I was there.

Site Introductions

As the first post of our new blog, we'd like to introduce you to our multiple properties:

The Catawba County Museum of History

The Museum is located in downtown Newton and is housed in the old Courthouse, built in 1924. Here, visitors can browse many exhibits about the history and development of the County at their leisure, or request a guided tour (when available). Highlights include several period rooms, exhibitions on local pottery and furniture, a new hands-on gallery designed just for children, and many other permanent displays. Currently, the first floor gallery houses our temporary exhibit about the Catawba Soldier in WWII.

The Harper House/Hickory History Center

The Harper House is a stately Queen Anne Victorian style home dating from the late 19th century, full of history and surprising stories. It is located in downtown Hickory near Frye Hospital. It is available for tours and rentals, making it a beautiful setting for an elegant wedding.

Next to the Harper House is a restored Arts and Crafts style bungalow, built in 1912, which houses a wonderful space for parties and programs. This property contains temporary exhibitions on the first floor and "The Miracle of Hickory" exhibit on the second floor, about the polio hospital quickly constructed near Lake Hickory - a saving grace for the Piedmont.

Murray's Mill

Located in the charming town of Catawba, Murray's Mill highlights the agricultural past of the County. Visitors can enjoy tours of the waterwheel grist mill (we still grind each year during the Harvest Folk Festival!). The acres surrounding the mill are ideal for picnics and the site includes nature trails along Balls Creek. In addition to the mill, you can stop by the general store, built in 1890, for a cold drink and some old-fashioned candy. The annual Harvest Folk Festival in September always draws a large crowd. At that time, the John Murray home and the Huffman House are open to visitors. Murray's Mill is open from March through November.


Bunker Hill Covered Bridge

The Bunker Hill Covered Bridge was constructed in 1895 and is located on Hwy. 70 in Claremont. Designated as a National Civil Engineering Landmark in 2001, the Bunker Hill Covered Bridge is the only remaining example in wood of the Improved Lattice Truss patented by General Herman Haupt. The bridge spans Lyle's Creek on old Island Ford road, a former Native American trail. The bridge site is open daily from dawn until dusk and has picnic tables.