The staff at the Wake Forest Historical Museum on North Main Street has an invitation for all area residents.
“We’re proud to join Smithsonian magazine’s thirteenth annual Museum Day Live!, in which participating museums across the United States emulate the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution by opening their doors for a day of fun and education–absolutely free!
“As we’re always free here at the Wake Forest Museum, we’re using the opportunity to open our doors on Saturday, outside of regular museum hours, to encourage new visitors to come in and experience the 20-plus professionally designed exhibits, historic Calvin Jones House, and natural beauty of the museum grounds.”
The museum is staffed by Director Ed Morris and Assistant Director Jennifer Smart with the help of a large group of men and women who serve as docents to keep the museum open on Sunday afternoons and to help with the many groups and activities who take advantage of the museum’s meeting rooms and other facilities.
The museum was built by the Wake Forest College Birthplace Society with substantial help from Wake Forest University, the Town of Wake Forest and many, many individual contributors.
The society will hold its annual meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at the museum. The speaker will be Kathryn Quigg, a 1971 Wake Forest University graduate, who cowrote with Wake Forest native Garland “Pete” Hendricks the historical novel To Any Soldier: A Novel of Vietnam Letters that has won critical acclaim.
Also on that day the museum will unveil the plaque to mark the addition of the Calvin Jones House to the National Register of Historic Places and will share special memories of Wake Forest College basketball star Dickie Hemric.
Anyone interested in the history of the town and the college is invited to become a member of the society, which is a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. Individual memberships are $35.
* * * *
The Wake Forest Historical Association is planning a public program about country stores in the area on Sunday, Oct. 8, beginning at 3 p.m. in the museum. It is free and refreshments will be served.
Karen Winstead, chairman of the committee producing the program, is still looking for photographs and information about old country stores. If you have something, tell her at kwatsunset@msn.com.
* * * *
Someone described as “a thoughtful and constant longtime supporter [of the society and the museum] who wishes to remain anonymous” recently donated $125,000 to finance the construction of a fully equipped artifact storage space by enclosing the back porch. Wake Forest architect Matt Hall is designing the addition and Chuck Rice will be the construction contractor. It will be completed in under six months.
Morris said he was lunching with the donor at Las Margaritas when he was handed a check. Expecting a small donation, Morris said he “nearly swallowed my fork” when he saw the $125,000 figure.
Artifact storage has become one of the museum’s problems, thanks to the generous donations from townspeople and college alumni. The donations have greatly outgrown the available space at the museum at present, but the new storage space will solve the problem.
