The Emanuel County Historic Society is making a move. The Board decided to enclose part of the group shelter to house our many artifacts on farming. The exhibit on Naval Stores, products of Longleaf pine trees, will also be housed there. This move will give us room for saws and other equipment revolving around the turpentine still. This will fit better with our Longview Farm section and make room in the Farm and Home Museum building.
In the Farm and Home Museum – everyone refers to it as “The White Building” – we will be able to expand the business section, the military display, and house a collection of Boy Scout memorabilia. We have so much that is just packed in, and now those items will shine in their own space. [We understand our items in the white building are not in chronological order, so we try to group topics together. The items are from all across the county.]
Our policy was to be open once a month for several years, but attendance was poor. We then tried opening quarterly, and attendance picked up some. Now we will meet at the museum every April with an Open House, potluck supper, and Annual meeting. Many out-of-town people braved the pouring rain in April to tour; umbrellas were welcomed.
Every October we will have an Open House. Our next Open House will be Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 1-5:30 PM. Maybe the much-enjoyed ghost stories will be revived. “Whooo knows”?
We enjoy our meetings in January and July at the Varner 4-H Center, both with a potluck supper and interesting program. Currently we are working on the July program which will be Thursday, July 27 at 7 p.m. If you have any suggestions for our programs, we would appreciate hearing from you. It is not necessary for you to be a member to attend any of our functions. For any information, please call 478-763-3631.
Our 2023-2024 officers and board members are President, George Elder; Vice-President, John Derden; Secretary-Treasurer, Missy Elder; John David Bailey; Jim Clapham; Nancy Hall; Russell Johnson; Dedra Shuman; Dess Smith; Mary Ann Smith; Carl Tankersley; Johnny Tapley; Shari Watt.
