Gift Shop Sale & Makeover!
By Jeff Pruett

At the Gaston County Museum of Art & History we are delighted when first time visitors and returning patrons stop by to experience a new exhibit, view the artwork of a local artist, or visit one of our permanent collections. Most often these visits include a stop in the gift shop. Around the museum you will see the phrase, “there’s always something old and a lot that’s new at the Gaston County Museum” and we are very excited to announce that over the coming weeks and months there will be A LOT that’s new in the gift shop; you might call it an extreme makeover!

To kick things off, we will be having a very special sale on all of our current gift shop merchandise from September 13 – 20 during regular museum hours. Please shop early so you can experience the best bargains! All shop merchandise will be 25% off with special deals on the sun porch, including discounts of 50% and more.

To keep you up to date with the changes in the gift shop, we will be updating our progress and posting photos on our Facebook page, so follow along and let us know what you think. We welcome your comments and believe you will be pleased to see the shop’s new look! If you haven’t visited our Facebook page, check us out at www.facebook.com/GastonCountyMuseum and be sure to click LIKE!

For more information on the gift shop, please contact Patty Brooks, Museum Shop Manager/Development Assistant at 704.922.7681 x108 or patricia.brooks@gastongov.com

Dedication to the Job
By Stephanie Elliott, Curator

Old City Hospital

One of the most exciting parts of my job is the opportunities I have to learn about the history of Gaston County and meet the people who are a part of that history. In preparation for our upcoming exhibit on the history of Gaston Memorial Hospital, we have had the chance to speak with several past and current employees. No matter how boring people think their lives are, I always find them fascinating!

It was definitely a different time during the early years as a hospital than it is today. We talked to one gentleman who was a student in high school and worked over the summer in the Operating Room. Part of his job was to discard of the amputated limbs after surgery! I can’t see a high school student being allowed to do that now.

We also talk to several employees who moved from working in the mills to jobs in the lab and radiology. That would be unheard of now, where it takes years of schooling to be prepared to do a job like that. But back then it was just on-the-job training.

Looking Good in Hospital Garb!

Regan (our registrar) and I also had the opportunity to visit the current site of the hospital and get a few behind the scenes tours of the departments. It’s hard to truly appreciate the size and scope of what is done there just by looking at the outside. There are so many people that have to work together to make it work as a whole. It has definitely changed from the ten room hospital it started out as.

So I guess the point of all this is that no matter how boring you think your story is, it is always fascinating to someone. And I love that my job allows me to encounter and learn new things every day, even if it means putting on a bunny suit! But it was worth it to get to see open heart surgery taking place.

Museum Internships
By Jason Luker, Programs Coordinator

So, let’s say you want to join the museum field and you have decided to pursue an internship. That is a fantastic decision on your part. If you want to get into the museum business, you will need to have some experience. Do not think you are going to walk into a museum interview with your fancy degrees and mounds of book learnin’ and land a full time job with benefits. Not in this day and age. A good internship will get you into the field, provide some personal training, and lead to networking opportunities that will land you that coveted “paying gig”. The following are some points that I would give to anyone looking for a museum internship.



Don't Be Scared to Try New Things!



Don’t Limit Your Choices. I believe one of the biggest hang ups for folks trying to get in the museum field is their preconceived idea of a perfect career. People will get this holy grail job in their head, like being an archivist for the Smithsonian, and make some career path for themselves wrapped around archival work only. They are limiting themselves and are missing a great opportunity. It is wonderful to have a goal and also making a plan to obtain that goal. However, it is also good to try new things and gain some diversity. This will keep resumes from being so one dimensional. Trust me, for many museums it is more impressive to have a diverse background instead of being devoted to one skill set, because most museums run on a small group of employees who are asked to do different tasks. So, if you have been studying to be an archivist, maybe try an internship as an educator. If anything, it will prove to yourself how well you can handle a room full of 4th graders. On a side note, try different types of museums. If you are a history person, maybe do an internship at a zoo. If you are an artist, maybe try an internship at a science museum. Diversify yourself a bit and you will be better off in the long run.

Research the Internship. Before you accept an internship, make sure you have a firm grasp on what will be asked of you and what to expect out of the experience. A good internship will include assigned tasks with an end project that can go on your resume. If the internship is real loose in the description, be cautious. Sometimes that leads to an internship filled with crappy assignments that the professionals don’t want to do. You can always ask the museum for more information on the overall task you will be working on. Also, be upfront on your desire to make connections in the field. Networking is the key to finding a museum job. Your internship should be able to help you in networking or at least give you a strong letter of recommendation. Remember, you are the one offering to work for free. It is the museum’s job to design your scope of work and provide networking leads.

Work Like You Mean It. Treat your internship seriously. Come in on time. Make sure you are dressed professionally. Be nice to everyone and do tasks assigned to the best of your abilities. Even offer to help out whenever you can. Don’t complain or act like a know-it-all. And for the love of all things holy, ask questions! If you do not know how to do something or if the instructions have been less than clear, be sure to ask for clarification. You will gain more respect that way. And remember, you want these people to like you, even if you are leaving their sorry butts behind.

So there are a few pointers for you. We are always looking for good interns here at the Gaston County Museum. In fact we have an opening in the education department right now. If you would like to know more about the position, please give me a call at 704-922-7681 ext. 105 or by email at Jason.luker@gastongov.com.

Summer Time Fun!
By Kelly Mason, Outreach Coordinator

While most people are loading the car with swimsuits, beach chairs, and towels, museum education staff are preparing for an action packed summer complete with wool Civil War uniforms, corsets, and activities for the whole family! One of the joys of a museum educator is the ability to create new ways to engage children. Most of my time as an educator is taken up throughout the year doing school programs for the masses. Whether I am dressed in my worker clothes discussing everyday chores of the Hoffman Hotel, or dressed in my Civil War ball gown opening students eyes to the woes of a war torn country, or even if I am dressed in beautiful Victorian attire talking about 19th century art, school programs take up a lot of time and tend to be fairly repetitive. (Need to cover those NC standards!) Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and love providing programs for school groups. Sometimes, I just long for a change of pace and summer provides that outlet.

Summer is a time for us to let our hair down (figuratively of course, since a respectable woman in the 19th century would not go around town with her loose locks!) and dig into some broader topics. We host multiple camps here at the museum throughout the summer months including our paid all day Civil War camp (water balloon battle included) and some paid half day camps including pottery and cartooning camp. We also provide programs for the county libraries: this year’s theme discussing inventions that changed Gaston County. (Very interesting stuff: look up Edison Hydro-Electric Dynamo! Better yet, stop by our museum and check it out!)

Our biggest undertaking for the summer is our Free Drop in Day Camp program that runs for 7 consecutive Thursdays. This year’s theme: Work and Life: Gaston County in the 1800’s. We provided programs that spanned topics such as merchants, farming, county court, school, textiles, and transportation. Kids experience a variety of interactive stations that often include games and crafts to bring the subject to life. Some of my favorite stations included laundry relay race, planting seeds, quill pen writing, playing the textile doffer game, and making our train lantern craft. I had the ability to change period clothing from week to week based on my activity and showcase the broad spectrum of life during the county in the 1800’s.

The most magical and rewarding time for a museum educator is to see the children come back, week after week, continuing to grow and learn, and most importantly having so much fun. My job is to bring history to life, to demonstrate to kids that history is not just a boring subject they study at school, but that history is all around them and helps to create the world that we live in today. It is a museum educator’s job to show how the past, present, and future are all intermingled and that it can be very rewarding and a lot of fun to discover! As the curtain closes on summer and we begin gearing up for hundreds of school children, we look back fondly on the past few months and feel a sense of accomplishment: we were able to keep kids active and learning! Mission accomplished! Great job education team!

A Building Full of Stories
By Regan Brooks, Registrar

“We are the storytelling animal.” ~Salaman Rushdie

Stories. We all have them and you tell them just about every day - when you come home at night to your family, having coffee with your friends, or chatting with coworkers. And stories are important. They allow us to process through what happened during our day. They share clues to our loved ones the parts of our lives they were not present for and scientists have proven that with children, storytelling increases learning capacity and knowledge retention as well as critical thinking. Storytelling is so important, not just because it’s more interesting, but because our brains are wired to want to understand something. Psychologists call it cognitive dissonance – often times things tend to butt up against each other. We hear something, but it doesn’t quite jive with something else we know. And if we just hear it, and it doesn’t jive, we’re unlikely to believe it. But a story allows us to resolve those issues of cognitive dissonance. They allow us to begin to get a much greater understanding of what it is that we’re hearing or that we’re talking about. And that’s why it’s so tremendously important. It’s literally everything to us in the Museum business.

If you were to stop a person on the street and ask them what it is that the Museum (this Museum, that Museum, ANY Museum) does, what its core purpose was, the answer would probably involve ‘stuff’. They preserve old stuff, they showcase art stuff, they show science stuff.

Wrong. Our core purpose is to tell you a story. We use stuff. We take care of that old stuff, that art stuff and that science stuff so we can use it to tell you that story. The story of how things used to be and why they are the way they are now. The story of how things work, the story of what’s happening now. Museums are storytellers. And we try (particularly in the history museum business) to get others to share their stories as well by getting oral histories. Sometimes it’s formal, sitting down with a tape recorder, a video camera and asking specific questions. Sometimes, it’s just “Talk to me.” Either way, when we ask – and this may come as a shock to some people – we actually do want to hear what they have to say. You’d be surprised at how many people that will happily ramble on to a complete stranger that hasn’t asked, but the second someone does ask them to talk, clam up and shut down. There’s a variety of reasons for it: They don't believe they have anything of value to tell you, and don't understand why you would want to interview them, or maybe they’re afraid you’re going to use that information in some way that would reflect poorly on them. There’s been numerous times when we’ve invited people to come meet with us and share stories and they walk into the room, give us a look (usually akin to a deer in headlights) and say they really don’t have anything to tell. It really makes you want to bang your head on the table and ask them “Then why are you here?” And the frustrating thing? They do have something to tell. And we really, really do want to hear it. And we’re not going to do anything bad with it. We promise. We no bite.

Of course, on the flipside, with other folks, you have to remind them that you’ve only got three tapes with you and you might have to continue this session another day.

Dressing for the Part
By Will Ruark

Hello, my name is Will and I am a 24 year old man who likes to dress up.

When I accepted the position as Programs Assistant, I was told I would need to assist with interpretation and programming. It was also mentioned to me that I would be doing living history—and dressing up for the part.

So cute and yet so historically wrong.

As a child, I dressed up to help my father with programs about pioneers in Western Maryland. This involved me grabbing some miss-matched, overly large clothing that would receive a response of “Awww. How cute is he!” But, here at the museum—it was now important for me to attain clothes that:

1.) Would fit

2.) Were historically appropriate
3.) Would be a representation of my character (a young man from Maryland) and

4.) Would receive a different response then when I was a child.

These criteria then led me on an adventure. I had no clue that companies existed that made Civil War era clothing. I had no clue that some people in Gaston and Mecklenburg County spend their retired years hand stitching beautiful Civil War era clothing as well.

Union Soldier at your service!

I was given a job: piece together a Union Soldier outfit. This job took me almost one month. It involved me talking to a company in Idaho (and waiting a month while an “Old Lady” hand altered my coat), venturing out into the country outside of Charlotte to pick and choose an assortment of clothing from a gentlemen’s garage shop, and being told more than once that people would rather see me in Confederate Grays. It was an interesting process, to say the least.

But, hey, after the month process—I must say I look pretty handsome.

My glorious death during Civil War Soldier Camp.

Museums & Community Partnerships = A Winning Combination
By Jeff Pruett

At the Gaston County Museum of Art & History we partner with many individuals and organizations for a multitude of projects, programs, and events. Partnerships are truly the heart of rich and diverse programming, exhibitions, and successful civic engagement. Partnering with local organizations and individuals is key to creating a more thriving and revitalized community. By working together, we can truly engage and educate the community in extremely unique ways.

Currently, the Gaston County Museum partners with Gaston County Public Schools to provide free or very low cost curriculum-based history and art focused programming. We visit many local schools and provide free outreach programming as well as provide a multitude of on-site offerings, for free or very low cost. It’s always a compliment when we see students return with their families and give them tours of the museum, excited about everything they learned on their field trip.

John Dee Holeman at Blues out Back

We have partnered with local companies and individuals to make our Blues out Back Concert Series (we are currently in our 16th year) a success as well as partnering with CaroMont for our upcoming exhibit on the History of the Gaston Memorial Hospital (this exhibit will open in mid-September). Without our generous community sponsors, it would be impossible to do these types of award-winning programs and exhibits. Remember, we are YOUR Gaston County Museum of Art & History.

For information on becoming a sponsor or partner with the museum, please call Jeff Pruett – Director at 704.922.7681 x101 or jeff.pruett@gastongov.com. Please come and see us and experience the many diverse offerings through our exhibitions and programs that we offer to all ages.

Hidden Treasures?
By Stephanie Elliott, Museum Curator

So what similaries do television shows like Antinques Roadshow, American Pickers, and Hardcore Pawn have with people who work with museum collections? Not a whole lot, but in my opinion they tend to give people a false idea of what a museum curator does. It can be difficult at times when someone brings in an item they found in their grandmother’s attic, or dug up on the side of the road, that they believe is very old and very valuable, to then tell them that it is not exactly what they think it is.

Because museum curators or collection staff are not trained in antique appraisals we cannot give anyone a monetary value of their object. We can research the history of the object and tell them more about it, but that is it. We also do not know exactly what every item is that is brought into the museum. That is one of the things that shows like Antinques Roadshow does not portray is the amount of research that goes into identifying and appraising an object. You also don’t see the hundreds or thousands of items that are brought in that are worth nothing.

It is sometimes difficult trying to let someone down easy when they think they really have something of value. For example, I have had many people bring in what they believe is an original copy of the Declaration of Independence and I have to tell them that it is actually a replica produced in 1976 for the 200th anniversary. I have had people call me a liar and tell me I have no idea what I’m talking about, and in those cases I just have to let it go. I have also had people offer to split whatever profit they make from an item if I just gave them a “ballpark” as to how much it is worth.

I’m not saying that we don’t love for people to bring items into the museum so that we can look at them and hopefully tell them more about the object, but sometimes people have a misconception about what we can and cannot do that can make it difficult at times. One of the most interesting aspects of my job is learning about new objects, where they come from, and the history surrounding them. It can just be challenging at times when shows on TV make it seem like everything is a hidden treasure, when that usually isn’t reality.

Maine Coast

Museums of Old York: An exhausted museum educator’s retreat!
By Kelly Mason: Outreach Coordinator

Entrance to Visitor Center

At the end of a busy school season (a couple thousand children strong), this museum educator found herself a little burnt out. As May came to a close, I found myself loosening my corset and gasping for breath: time for a vacation! (Quick, before summer camps gear up!)

At last, my beloved trip up north to the breathtaking coast of Maine had come! As I packed my bags and left my period clothes to air out, I yearned for peace and quiet and to hear the gentle roar of the ocean breaking on the rocks! Of course, no trip to New England would be complete without a trip to the local Historical Society! York, Maine is an amazing gem of town that is nestled next to the ocean with a rich history that has been wonderfully preserved.

I set out for a day filled with rich history, my spirits high! To my delight, I spotted a school bus and heard the muffled sound of giddy children filing through the galleries. As the greeter at the front desk politely apologized for the inconvenience, I explained that, I too, was a museum educator down in North Carolina. How exciting to see others at work, diligently sharing and preserving the past for future generations! (Just like me!) It brought out a sense of excitement and joy (also relief that for just a day, I could sit back and take it in myself).

Me in the pillory

My husband and I visited multiple of the historic buildings, including the one room school house, tavern, and burial grounds. They have a collection of nine historic buildings in their care! The Gaol (pronounced jail) was by far one of the highlights of the trip. We saw the dungeons and the rooms upstairs where the murderers slept (interestingly, in the room connected to the jailor and his children). It was built in 1719 and ran until 1879. They still have the pillory standing in the front of the building for brave visitors to try! We ended our five hour adventure with a private tour of a new exhibit on WWI given by their lovely curator (A major perk of being a museum professional: we often get behind-the-scene tours).

Needless to say, my visit to the Museums of Old York was a delightful experience. As a museum educator, it is invaluable for me to go and visit other historic sites. It not only gives me a fresh perspective, but also recharges my batteries. It reminds me of how important my job is and why I got into this field to begin with! I am pleased to announce that I am refreshed and ready to jump into summer with my corset tightened and my petticoats fluffed!

Emerson-Wilcox House; 1742

Somebody hire a production crew (or Vive La Youtube!)
By Regan Brooks

There have been a lot of articles being bandied about in various museum forums recently, and though the subject matter is one that has worn a bit thin with museum staffs everywhere, it is still no less relevant: how to maintain relevance in our exhibits and programs and engage modern audiences effectively. Or, in other words, how to not be viewed as a dusty old relic that their grandmother might have enjoyed, keep an audience with the attention span of a goldfish fully engaged and heaven forbid, maybe actually ed-u-mah-cate the little dears.

There are many different theories and twice that many ideas. Some seem to work, some not. I won’t bore you with the details, though I will admit it is something that our staff does talk about on almost a daily basis. One of the best ideas for the teaching of history I’ve seen in a long time comes from two actual high school history teachers in Hawai’i. Think of it as “pre-test Cliff Notes edu-tainment.”

New Spin on an Old Revolution!

A Brief Introduction
By Will Ruark







Well, Hello! My name is Will Ruark and I will be serving Gaston County Museum as the new Programs Assistant. I wanted to introduce myself a little bit. I had the wonderful opportunity to grow up in a little city in Western Maryland called Cumberland. My father was a Maryland State Park Ranger and from an early age he involved me in outdoor programming and historical programming. (Sometimes that involved holding owls half the size of me or wearing colonial garb!) I attended Presbyterian College (Go Blue Hose!) in Clinton, SC and graduated with a BA in History and International Studies. After graduation I accepted two positions in the Maryland State Park Service. I worked a season as a Park Ranger and worked for the Americorps’ group Maryland Conservation Corps. Both positions allowed me to continue doing programming with children and adults, as well as serving the state and nation conserving the environment. (I even had the opportunity to fight Wild Fires out in Idaho and Utah!)



A younger me with a great horn owl!



I recently moved back to the Carolinas and am incredibly excited to assist with programming here at the Museum. I hope to instill my enthusiasm about history through my programs. And, I look forward to seeing you! Come and visit soon!

Gaston County Historic Jail
By Jeff Pruett
As Director of the Gaston County Museum of Art & History I get asked often “what are our plans for the historic jail?” In this blog, I plan to discuss a thumbnail sketch of the historic jail’s past and its future. To begin with, let’s discuss the jail’s interesting history.

In 1848 the Gaston County Jail was completed by Abraham Mauney and his enslaved African-American workers, and Benjamin Morris became the county’s first Sheriff. In the 19th century, it was routine for the Sheriff and his family to live in the jail, so they occupied the lower floors while the prisoner’s jail cells were located on the second floor. It was expected that the Sheriff’s wife and family would do the cooking, cleaning, and laundry for the prisoners.

In 1874, there was a fire in the jail, but the structure still retains original brick, cells, windows, and foundations. The building like other 19th century jails is a two story brick structure with a basement that recesses to the first floor. The walls are twenty-four inch solid load bearing brick walls and the exterior is penetrated by the windows on the upper level that are placed evenly across the front and rear of the building. The original bars are embedded in the windows and they all have granite sills. The work involved in restoring the jail is going to be an undertaking, however with the background from other successful jail restorations steps can be taken to move forward.

If you have input on how you would like to see the jail renovated, we are having a Jail Forum on Thursday, June 5 from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at the museum. After this forum, the museum will be making a formal plan for the jail, creating sketches, and beginning to move forward on the restoration of this priceless structure. Please RSVP to Gina Anderson at 704.922.7681 x100 if you are interested in this project.

GCM's New Administrative Assistant

By Gina Anderson

I am excited and honored to join the Gaston County Museum staff as the new Administrative Assistant.

While I’ve lived in Gaston County all my life, I certainly don’t know all there is to know about the county.

Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether he is 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” I want to stay young!

I am looking forward to learning more about the museum and the cultural heritage of the county I’ve always called home. In fact, I must share a few very important details I learned about the museum on day one. Without volunteers the museum could not serve the community. Did you know every year the Gaston County Museum of Art and History reaches nearly 20,000 people? How? The museum offers a wide variety of programs, events and exhibits including on-site school field trips, outreach programs, original and inspirational art shows, concerts, summer camp and so much more all while keeping a historical, yet lively, museum open to the public.

It takes volunteers to keep things rolling, and the museum is looking for a few more happy faces to do just that! Please drop by our Volunteer Open House on Monday, May 19, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. We have a volunteer opportunity for you! You will be surprised how volunteering just a few (and I really do mean a few) hours a month can benefit the museum. If you can’t make it to the open house but still want to consider volunteering at the museum, just call or email me! Let’s learn and grow “young” together!

Gina Anderson
Administrative Assistant
704-922-7681 ext. 100
Gina.anderson@gastongov.com

Theodore Roosevelt, Sacajawea, and a Dinosaur!

By Stephanie Elliott

Oh wait, that was the plot of the movie “Night at the Museum”. Well, a typical day might not be that exciting at our museum, but it is still pretty interesting. Although I might be a little biased.

Image from imbd.com

In all seriousness though, one of our goals here at the museum is to make history come alive for our visitors. We take the stories from our past and use exhibits to transport people back to that time and place to learn about what really happened.

You can do the same thing to. All it requires is taking the time to sit down with someone who has experienced something you never have and listening to them tell their story. It’s as simple as that. Now, if you right down that story you get bonus points! “But I have no idea how to do an oral history,” you say. It’s actually pretty easy and as long as you have a true desire to hear what the other person is telling you, you will do fine. So much of our history is lost because we don’t take the time stop and listen.

If you want to really do some research into how to do an oral history you can check out this great step-by-step guide here http://dohistory.org/on_your_own/toolkit/oralHistory.html#SEQUENCE or visit the Smithsonian site here http://www.folklife.si.edu/resources/pdf/interviewingguide.pdf. Some basic principles to go into it with are to let the person you are interviewing do most of talking (try not to interrupt them with another question until they have finished what they are talking about and don’t interject a lot of “mmhmm’s” and commentary of your own). Also, it is good to have a least a few questions written down ahead of time so you have some topics if the conversation comes to a stop. Lastly, it is good to conduct the interview in a quiet space that is comfortable for the person you are speaking with.

Of course there are many more tips that you can utilize, but it really comes down to us just taking the time to talk with our parents and grandparents about their lives and the history they have to share. You never know, what they tell you might be more interesting than the latest movie you saw!

Hidden Treasures! A peek into the museum archives.
By Fiona Shirkie, Collections Intern

If you are anything like me, and hopefully you are, you find a trip to a museum an adventure. As I move from gallery to gallery I am fascinated by the objects on display and the stories behind them. But the items that are on display are only half the story (or in some cases only 2% of the story!). All museums care for many more objects than those they are able to display. The Smithsonian Institution has an astonishing 137 million objects in its collection. It is only able to display 2% of these at any given time. The same is true here at the Gaston County Museum – although on a smaller scale.

One of my projects is to look through some of these ‘hidden’ objects stored in the archives. It is important to regularly check the condition of these items, document and research them further. Reviewing what is in the archives also helps to generate ideas for future exhibitions.

This project may seem like a daunting task – do you see the number of boxes!! However to someone like me this is a fabulous opportunity to delve into history. I have not been disappointed. I have been both excited and moved by some of the items that I have been fortunate enough to work with.

As they say the longest journey begins with a single step, so I selected my first box. Can you believe what I found – a picture of U.S. Representative for North Carolina (1957-68) Basil L. Whitener with not one, but two future Presidents! Seeing these three men gathered in 1960 I was reminded of the great hope that President Kennedy would inspire and also of his tragic death and its impact in the USA and around the world.

Having walked around Dallas Court Square many times, imagine my surprise as I discovered what appear to be the deeds relating to the Smyre-Pasour House, the oldest remaining residence in Dallas. The first of these documents was a deed from 1849 granting J.F. Smyre lot 8 on the Court Square for $187 and the second the deed passing this lot to Eli Pasour in 1851 for $650 – a nice profit! Eli would go on to purchase lots 7 and 9.

I was moved as I shared in the life of Yvonnie C. Hill documented in the diary that she kept daily from 1934-51. She shares everything from day to day things like how much the Doctor’s bill was or going on an Easter egg hunt to a very special moment shared with her beau and husband Johnnie in 1934 when Yvonnie “told him that I loved him”. I couldn’t help but feel for the young man from the mid-1800s writing to his mother and father from the ‘Wake Co Insayn Asylum’. I held in my hand the Book of Worship that Reverend M.L. Little, a Lutheran minister who served in Lincoln and Gaston County, had in his pocket when he was killed in a train crash in 1891. These objects reminded me that behind history and every object we see in a museum are very real people and unique stories. Preserving these objects to share with current and future generations is a central part of the museum’s mission.

Searching for Hoffman's at Spencer Mountain

By Jason Luker

Exploring history is an absolute joy. I assume you agree since you are reading a blog facilitated by a museum. What makes history so enjoyable to me is when I am able to make connections. When I am able to take one moment in time, connect it to another moment in time, and then see how those different points have influenced modern society. I have been experiencing this while researching the Hoffman family (those that built, owned, and operated the building the Gaston County Museum now resides in). One of the most treasured resources that I have at my disposal for research is the book Our Kin written by Laban Miles Hoffman published in 1915. Laban was a son of Jonas Hoffman, Jr. who operated the Hoffman Hotel from 1868 until his death in 1901. Our Kin is a very detailed genealogy for the early history of Gaston County and Laban also writes about visiting some of the original historical sites in the county as he performs his own research. I find great pleasure trying to follow Laban’s footsteps and see what remains.

Grave Marker Located at Spencer Mountain

One of these explorations led me to Spencer Mountain, just a few miles from Dallas, NC. At the foot of this small mountain, right along the South Fork River had been a homestead of Jonas Hoffman, Sr., Laban’s grandfather. Jonas Sr. died in 1829 at the age of 41. His property apparently went under the control of his father John Hoffman who willed the land to Jonas, Sr. children after his own death in 1832.

Not much is known about Jonas, Sr. and what little I have been able to learn has come from Our Kin. Laban records that the land willed to his father and uncles was referred to as “Jonas Hoffman Mill” tract and was located where the Spencer Mountain Mill stood in the 1900s. When Laban visited the location, he described what remained of the family cemetery that contained the remains of his grandfather, grandmother and other unknown descendants. Even in the early 20th Century there was not much left of the gravesite. I and a couple of fellow Museum staff members went out to see the site for ourselves. The only grave marker left is a modern stone providing information about some of the Hoffman’s that were buried along the ridge line next to the South Fork River. They included not only Jonas, Sr. and his wife Anna Maria Costner Hoffman, but also Hans Jacob Hoffman, the first Hoffman that moved into this part of North Carolina back before the Revolutionary War. It appears that this land had been some of the original tracks owned by the family.

Jonathan Roach Spencer Mountain Mill Sketch

The historical connection that really washed over me was the fact that the site had been known as the Jonas Hoffman Mill prior to building of the Wilson & Moore Mill (what came to be called Spencer Mountain Mill) in 1874. One of the questions I have been trying to answer is why did Gaston County become so dominated by textile mills. By 1900, 24 large textile mills were already operating in Gaston County compared to only 16 in Mecklenburg County. One of my theories is that Gaston County had developed an infrastructure that catered to the textile mills. Due to earlier industry endeavors, textile mill owners were able use the developed land, harness the powerful waterways, and flourish in cotton textile production. At Spencer Mountain I can see this play out. When J. Harvey Wilson II and his brother-in-law J.W. Moore purchased the South Fork property for their mill, the area had already been developed by the Hoffman’s for their own use.




Remains of Spencer Mountain Mill





Not much is left out at the site. Spencer Mountain Mill is gone and only the foundation and dam remain. However, finding these connections helps me and hopefully others better understand how Gaston County was formed and what life might have been like for those first influential settlers like the Hoffman’s. If anything, the search excites me and makes me want to find out more. If you have any questions about the research we are doing at the Gaston County Museum, please let me know. Also, if you are doing your own research and have some information to share, I would love to hear from you. Just give me a call at 704-922-7681 ext. 105 or email me at Jason.luker@gastongov.com.

Adventure Is Out There!

By: Kelly Mason

Winter Holiday Program

It is that time again, to say goodbye to our Education Intern. Susan Voskuil came to us in the beginning of the fall and has been an important part of our education team. As we bid Susan goodbye, it brings back so many wonderful memories. We have had many interns come and go, all bringing their own unique personalities and talents. We are very fortunate here at the Gaston County Museum to have so many talented people share their time with us!

Over the past few months we have had a lot of transition here in the Education Department. Susan has been involved in everything from historical research, program development, and program implementation. Interns not only give new life through their new ideas and an outside perspective, but they also give the gift of friendship and memories that last a lifetime! Susan is a wonderful person and an incredibly gifted educator. We have had the privilege of teaching alongside Susan for the past 7 months. I have grown tremendously not only as an educator in the museum field, but also as a person because of her contribution in our department!

Education Department

The Sun Parlor

We want to thank Susan for her dedication, hard work, and beautiful spirit! We want to wish her all the best in the future! You will forever be in our hearts! Go and do great things at the Museum of the Grand Prairie! Adventure is out there my friend!

National Day of Happiness

by: Regan Brooks- Registrar

Yesterday was the first day of Spring, also known as The National Day of Happiness (Coincidence? I think not!) And even though the forecasters are saying Winter hasn’t quite left the stage yet, the gorgeous day today makes me hope they’re wrong. Something about the coming of spring just puts a smile on your face. Speaking of smiles, (were we? Roll with it, folks) Curatorial has recently been reviewing some of our glass plate negative collection in hopes of getting some grant money for conservation. These are all from local photographer, Harley Ferguson and show a glimpse of the folks living in the area at the turn of the last century. Not too many smiles, huh?

Of course, we can forgive the young soldier for not smiling.  Not too much of a reason to do so when you’re about to get shipped off to the killing fields of Europe. Honestly, he looks a bit worried. But, shouldn’t you at least smile on your wedding day?

“But Regan, life was hard back then. You should know that!” “People had it rough, they didn’t smile as much.” “Pictures were a big deal; it was a serious affair. You couldn’t just whip out your camera and take a picture!” Right? Wrong. Now, I grant you, these particular photos were from a professional photographer, so yes it was a bit more of a ‘serious’ affair (how many times did your mom have tell you to stop playing and smile nicely for that family portrait?) But Brownie disposable cameras were widely available at your local drugstore for $1 in 1900. Picture taking was becoming pretty commonplace.

“Okay, we get that. But still, life was hard back then.” And it’s easy now? Different times, different stresses. And different behavior expectations. People smiled just as much back then as they do now, just not in pictures. To be sure, photography was a lot more prevalent, but society still wasn’t far from the days of having to sit for hours while an artist painted your likeness, a process both time-consuming and incredibly expensive. For such a product, you did not want to come across looking like a fool, so you sat still and looked somber. And that translated over into photography. Society in general still had the idea that regardless of how happy-go-lucky you were, for a picture, you sit still and don’t act the fool.

Of course, some folks’ personalities were apparently so jovial, they didn’t care.

                                                               






Do I detect a slight smile there, Dad? I'm thinking so!