Over the past few months we’ve had to adapt to the safety restrictions at the state and local level, so we’ve found ourselves conducting our regular business online. We first invested in a Zoom account so that the full Board and our committees could continue to meet and plan for the future.

We also developed a plan for several virtual programs, to be held on the 3rd Wed. of the month at the same time as the traditional Guild Programs. More details about that will be found below.

Since we knew we needed another way to communicate with our members, we’ve created a social media presence for the society. We’d love you to join our Virtual Programs Facebook Group: http://bit.ly/HPHS-FBGroup. On this page we will be sharing local historical content that we think would be of interest to you. If you’d like us to add something you’ve seen, let us know. Also, we are providing links to virtual tours of local and regional museums and historical sites in our “Take a Trip with Us” series. New tours are posted on the

2nd and 4th Wednesdays.

Finally, we’ve added some content to our page on the Museum’s website: http://bit.ly/HPHSPage. We provide links to recordings of our virtual programs and share the virtual tours highlighted in our Facebook group. We realize that not everyone is comfortable with social media. We also added a Newsletter archive page with links to our Historically Speaking newsletters.

Let us also point out that you can conduct your Historical Society business online as well. You can join or renew your membership from the comfort of your home. Also, if you’re starting to think about holiday gifts, our Memorial and Honor cards are worth considering. New options for membership dues and online shopping are coming, so stay tuned!

Thanks for your understanding about our safety concerns for meeting in person. We will plan something as soon as it is safe to do so! Otherwise, please explore what we’re doing online!

High Point, Historically SpeakingHIGH POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

FALL 2020

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Society Highlights 1Membership Update 1Artifact Conservation Activities 2Artifact Contributions 2Volunteer Spotlight 3Museum Store News 3Announcements 4“Day Tripping” 4

The HPHS Has Gone Virtual!

Membership Update: April–Sept. 2020New Members Ann HartleyButch & Patricia

MendenhallRon MoxleyStephen PollockCrystal Williams

Renewing MembersKay AndersonAnne & Norman Andrews James ArmstrongJacqueline Arthur-MontagneJerry BainHarvey BarnettSarah BarringerDr. & Mrs. Michael BeckDonald BeltonSara BenciniThomas Blount & Carolyn

Thomas

Mary Fay BodenheimerRoy & Laura BoylesMary Lou BrinsonWillard Bucklen & Paula

StroberRonald BullockMaxine CampbellGlenn ChavisBrenda CoatesPatricia ColonnaShirley ConradLane & Sanders DallasRobert & Fredericka

DavisKay EnglishGart & Dorotea EvansColon FarlowEmily GallimoreJoe GambleJean GoodingRobert Granger

Joseph Gray, Jr.Jamie HarrisStewart HartleyBrenda HaworthMary Ann HeplerClarence IldertonFrankie JacksonRandall JohnsonJohn Phillips Little

JohnstonBecke JonesLiz JonesLeon JoynerDonna KaiserDorothy KearnsJohn KearnsBill & Jean KesterElizabeth KoonceJane McClellanBill & Caroline McGuinnWade Markham

Patricia & Malcolm NashJo Ann NewmanBill PhillipsRamsey QubeinAlexander Rankin IIIBonnie RavazzaniJulie RaynorLaine RuehleBetty SafritArch SchochLibit SchochDean SinkSusan StarJerry & Louella StinsonRobert VoorheesCathy WatkinsLee WebsterGeorge WhiteFrances WifongLyndia Wright

Letter from the President

These are historic times. I can only imagine how many times that has been said in the past months and how many times you have heard those words.

The High Point Historical Society has been busier than ever. We have rolled up our sleeves and are facing the 2020 challenges head on. With a creative Board of Trustees and a strong member base — we continue the Society’s mission to collect, preserve and showcase the history of greater High Point. We are always grateful for the Museum staff — relying heavily on their knowledge and expertise. And we are blessed with a community that participates and supports our mission.

So, as we approach the coming holidays, we all will reflect on what has happened in 2020 and perhaps utter the words again: These are historic times.

— Van Voorhees Trivette HPHS President 2020/2021 year

Historical Society

Collecting, preserving and showcasing the history of greater High Point to foster a shared appreciation of our community reflected in the stories, events, and traditions of our past.

PAGE 2 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

Conserving The First Baptist Church Pulpit

Artifact Contributions: Apr–Sep. 2020

The Collections Committee chose the pulpit from the First Baptist Church on Washington Street as the Adopt-An-Artifact item this year. The pulpit joins a window and two other pieces of chancel furniture from the church that have been conserved through Adopt-An-Artifact programs.

The First Baptist Church was built on Washington Street in 1907. The congregation formed in 1871 and was an important pillar of High Point’s African American community. Additions and renovations to the church building eventually compromised its overall structure and stability. The building was demolished in 2015.

The pulpit has been on exhibit in the main gallery area since 2006 when changes were made to highlight more African American stories and artifacts. This particular area of the gallery is getting a facelift this year to make way for the very large D.L. Clark painting. During the update and installation of the painting, we had our conservator, Todd Jorgensen, take a look at the pulpit. From the wear and damage, you can see how ministers through the years stood and leaned on it as they preached to their congregation. The loose plank on the top, he discovered, had been repaired several times with glue and also with nails. Because that plank took the full weight of whoever was leaning on the pulpit, it continued to loosen.

The pulpit likely was made between 1900 and 1920. It is quarter-sawn oak and beautifully carved. While similar, it does not match the three deacon chairs and two flower stands which the First Baptist Church donated to us in 2014. We do not know the maker of the pulpit, but we hope Todd can find a mark during conservation treatment. Wouldn’t it be great if it were made by a High Point furniture manufacturer?

Todd conserved the stained glass window in 2018 and a chair and flower stand in 2017. We will include the window with the pulpit in the updated exhibit area and plan to use the chair and flower stand in a future update that focuses on Washington Street. All of these items and another small stained glass window were donated to the High Point Historical Society by the First Baptist Church.

Contributed by Marian Inabinett, Museum Curator of Collections and Corinne Midgett, Museum Registrar

ARTIFACT CONSERVATION

Bob Fogleman, Donor Military Service collection (letters, military personnel communications, ID card, 5 photographs; High Point school student collection (one photograph, items related to HPHS Class of 1960, and HPU Class of 1964)

Mary Louise Reynolds, Donor Set of c. 1860-70s dominoes that belonged to Evely Lutetia Garrett (Jamestown, High Point), selected items related to Burrus Hospital from a scrapbook created by Margaret Beamer

Marcellaus Joiner, Donor Mug, Carter Brothers BBQ High Point

Museum Purchase T-shirt, High Point Rockers “#SafeatHome.”

Anne Andrews has been with the Historical Society since our beginning. A High Point native, Anne has witnessed the birth and growth of the Historical Society and the Museum, and has contributed countless hours to preserving our City’s history.

Discussing the early days of the Museum, Anne recalls the purchase of the land that is the site of the Haley House. She remembers the excitement of the Museum’s first opening to the public. She witnessed the way that the Museum and the surrounding grounds and historical buildings allowed those in our community to experience and appreciate our great history.

Anne has given her time and talents to the Historical Society in many different ways; she led our first membership drive, was a founding member, has been a Trustee on the Board, was our fifth President and has volunteered for many events, committees and initiatives.

In recent years, Anne has generously shared her time, knowledge and creativity with newer members of our Board. Anne served on the committee for the 2019 Annual Meeting, helping to develop an event that would appeal to our membership and celebrate our long-standing traditions.

Anne is a go-to person for Museum Director Edith Brady: “When I am stumped trying to piece together some elusive aspect of High Point History for a project, I just call her up,

Anne Andrews

VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3 PAGE 3

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Going the Extra Mile

We’re so grateful to Abby Lewallen for her commitment to our Museum Store throughout her time at the Museum. Abby made the Store beautiful and inviting for visitors to the Museum and brought organization and efficiency to the operation. Following the closing of the Museum as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Abby continued to serve by ensuring our Museum Store stayed up to date, organized and clean — and even continued to make sales during the closure! Thank you, Abby, from all of us.

We are hoping to do online sales coming up.

Special plans for holiday season offerings – please stay tuned!

Museum Store will be open for the Holiday Open House, we hope you will visit!

Contributed by Emily Gallimore, Museum Store Committee

MUSEUM STORE NEWS

HPHS 2020-21 Board of TrusteesVan Voorhees Trivette, PresidentEmily Gallimore, President-ElectJulie Raynor, SecretaryStephen Pollock, TreasurerBrandon Hedrick, Immediate

Past President

Tyler AdamsonTawannah AllenDonald BeltonSusie BlandBrian EvansJoe GrayJamie HarrisRandall JohnsonJordan LessardLiz Moore Shaver

ask her to put on her High Point history thinking cap, and she graciously delivers.”

Anne’s wisdom and character have shaped our Historical Society, and we are grateful for her vision and continued involvement.

Anne’s dedication to service, our City and its history was fostered by her parents who raised her by their example of faithfulness and involvement in the community.

For Anne, the Historical Society and the Museum hold many good memories with friends, family and fellow volunteers. Edith Brady noted Anne’s love for High Point, what a great advocate she is for the Museum and how she has brought every one of her grandchildren to visit many times.

PAGE 4 VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3

2020 Program ScheduleWe are excited to introduce the 2020/2021 High Point Historical Society Educational Programs. This year you will be able to participate in the monthly HOW DID WE GET HERE? programs as well as touring museums, landmarks, and historic sites with our TAKE A TRIP WITH US series.

For now, these programs are being offered virtually via Zoom. When the time is right, the HOW DID WE GET HERE? series will be offered both in the High Point Museum and virtually.

November 18, 10am Q&A with High Point Santa

December 6, 1–4 pm Museum’s Holiday Open House: more details to come!

High Point Historical Society1859 E. Lexington AvenueHigh Point, NC 27262

“Take a Trip with Us” SeriesWe will offer two virtual “field trips” each month in our Facebook Group where you will have an opportunity to:

Tour Local Museum and Landmarks Visit North Carolina Historical Sites Explore International Museums and Landmarks Participate in Curated tours

(links to past tours will be found on the Historical Society’s page on the Museum’s website)

For November, we will feature virtual tours for two International locations of your choosing: the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam and the British Museum in London.

December will feature four virtual tours highlighting winter holiday traditions around the world.

For more information about registering for the virtual events, accessing our Facebook Group, or how to use Zoom for our virtual programs, email us at: highpointhistorialsociety@gmail.com or call Teresa at the Museum: 336-883-3022.

ARMCHAIR TRAVELER EVENT CALENDAR