Programs and Events
2017 Events
CCHA Program
Chatham County Coal Mining:
Livelihoods and Lost Lives
Sunday, June 18, 2017, 2:00 PM
Historic Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC
Free and open to the public
On the morning of May 27, 1925, explosions in the Carolina Mine shook the Chatham County village of
Coal Glen and took the lives of 53 men. This accident—the largest industrial disaster in North Carolina’s
history—will be the focus of a presentation by historian Forest Hazel on June 18, 2017 at 2:00pm in the
Historic Chatham County Courthouse.
The only significant source of coal in North Carolina lies along
the Deep River in Chatham and Lee Counties. Attempts to mine
the Deep River coalfields commercially began in the early 1850s
and the last mine closed about 100 years later. Mr. Hazel will
talk about the history of the mining industry in Chatham
County, the numerous accidents that plagued it, the impact of
the industry on North Carolina’s economy, and what life was
like for the miners and their families. Photographs and artifacts
will be displayed.
Forest Hazel lives in Mebane, NC. He has a BA in Anthropology
and a MPH degree, both from UNC-Chapel Hill. Most of his
work for the past 35 years concerns the history of American
Indian communities in the Carolinas, but for the past year and a
half he has been working on the Deep River coalfields project.
His interest in the coalfields was initiated by a visit to the
Cumnock cemetery to photograph the headstone of Duncan
Coal Glen disaster. News and Observer
Goins, a CSA vet of Indian descent. Hazel noticed markers in
(Raleigh), May 29, 1925
the cemetery indicating that men had died in various mining
accidents. His grandfather's family were coal miners, (in Wales, not NC) and his curiosity was
aroused. Hazel found that few people knew much about the NC coal mines, and felt that the story
should be promoted and remembered.
Mr. Hazel’s presentation is sponsored by the Chatham County Historical Association. The event is free
and the public is welcome.
Questions: [email protected]
Coal Glen Mine Disaster
NC Highway Historical Marker Dedication
Saturday, June 3, 2017
11:00am
Farmville Community Church
1797 Everett Dowdy Rd.
Sanford, NC 27330
A new highway historical marker commemorating the May 27, 1925 Coal Glen Mine Disaster will be
dedicated in a program on Saturday, June 3 at 11 AM. The program will be held at the Farmville
Community Church, and will include historical displays and speakers about the event, which took the
lives of 53 miners. A wreath in remembrance of the miners will be placed at the marker in the Farmville
Cemetery.
The marker, Chatham County’s newest, will be
located on US 15/501 at the southern intersection
with Walter Bright Rd. north of Sanford. Link to the
NC Highway Historical Marker information on the Coal
Glen Mine Disaster.
Everyone is invited to attend the program, which is
aimed at keeping the memory of the Deep River coal
mines and the men who worked in them alive.
An additional program about the disaster and more general history of mining in the Deep River coalbeds
will be sponsored by the Chatham County Historical Association on June 18, at 2pm in the Historic
Courthouse in Pittsboro. Historian Forest Hazel, whose research supported the successful highway
marker nomination, will make a presentation and share photos and artifacts. Both programs are free
and the public is invited.
Celebrate the 246th Anniversary of the Battle of Alamance
Experience North Carolina’s struggle on the eve of revolution! On May 16, 1771, a group of
rebellious backcountry farmers who called themselves “Regulators” — many of them living in
what is now Chatham County — met the loyalist militia of Governor William Tryon in open battle.
The Alamance Battleground State Historic Site in Burlington, NC, is marking the 246th
anniversary of the Battle of Alamance with several events:
Lecture:
The Regulation as Real Estate Dispute: a Colonial Struggle for Land Ownership.
Thursday, May 18, 2017 6:30 P.M.
"The Regulation as Real Estate Dispute: a Colonial Struggle for Land
Ownership" will be the topic of a lecture hosted in conjunction with the
246th anniversary of the Battle of Alamance. Special guest speaker will
be Mark Chilton, former mayor of Carrboro and currently the Register of
Deeds in Orange County. Chilton is the author of several local history
books, including Land Grant Atlas of Old Orange County. The lecture
will be held in the visitor center auditorium of the Alamance
Battleground State Historic Site in Burlington, and is free and open to
the public.
Fight for the Backcountry: Battle of Alamance Reenactment and Living History
Saturday and Sunday May 20th and 21st, 2017
9 A.M. – 4 P.M. daily
Time of the battle is 12:00 P.M.
Experience North Carolina’s struggle on the eve of
revolution! On May 16, 1771, a group of rebellious
backcountry farmers who called themselves “Regulators”
met the loyalist militia of Governor William Tryon in open
battle. “Fight for the Backcountry” will feature a
recreation of the Battle of Alamance, and will explore life
in the backcountry in the early 1770’s, as the American
colonies stood on the brink of Revolution.
For more information, see the Alamance Battleground
website.
4th Grade Field Trip
Sponsor & Volunteer Appreciation Day March 2nd
CCHA members, sponsors, and volunteers are cordially invited to join the 4th grade field trip
volunteers for Sponsor & Volunteer Appreciation Day at the Chatham Historical Museum and
Courthouse on Thursday, March 2nd, from 9 AM to noon.
Virginia Cross Elementary will be
with us for their field trip from 9 to
11:30 AM. Feel free to join the tour
at any time to experience what our
students see and do on their
visit. Or, plan to arrive at 11:00 AM
to enjoy an audience in the
courtroom with Chatham County
figures from the past. At 11:30 we
will send the students on their way
and begin a brief recognition
ceremony followed by light
refreshments.
The museum will be open until 4
PM as usual for anyone who would
like to spend more time with
Chatham County's storied past.
Now in our fourth year, we are excited to be able to offer these field trips for free to the 4th
grade students of Chatham County. At the close of the 2016/2017 school year, our dedicated
volunteers will have led 16 field trips, hosting 13 schools, and serving over 800 students.
Chatham County teachers and parents highly praise the field trips. We hope you will come see
how your contribution touches the lives of these students.
Schedule for the Day
• 9:00 AM
Virginia Cross students arrive; guests may join tour at any time
• 11:00 AM All gather in the courtroom for tour finale
• 11:30 AM Students depart; recognition ceremony begins
• 11:50 AM Refreshments in the foyer
• Noon-4PM Museum open for tours
Anyone interested in learning more about the program is welcome to attend!
Chatham County Historical Association
Annual Membership Meeting and Program
Sunday, February 19, 2017, 2:00 PM
Historic Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC
Free and open to the public
Local History in the Path of Growth:
Historic Preservation and Chatham Park
Join us for CCHA’s annual meeting and Paul Webb’s
presentation about ongoing efforts to identify,
preserve, and interpret significant historical sites on
the 7000+ acre Chatham Park property near Pittsboro.
Paul is an archaeologist with TRC Environmental
Corporation, and has been hired by Chatham Park to
coordinate their historical preservation
efforts. He will present an overview of what
is known of the property’s history, discuss
ongoing efforts to relocate and save the
19th century Griffin-White house, and
review the results of an intensive look at a
200-acre tract northeast of Pittsboro.
Finally, he’ll discuss ways in which CCHA
members and the public can contribute to
these efforts, and solicit input about the types of
historical resources that are important to the
community.
Soils Map
Old Redfield Road
Griffin-White House
Paul is a native of Georgia, and has lived in Chatham
County since 1993. He has directed or managed
archaeological and historic preservation projects across the Southeast, with resources ranging
from Native American campsites and villages to a 1920s logging town.
Paul will welcome questions after his presentation and encourages anyone with information
about the property to be developed as Chatham Park to share what they know to help him
document the local history of the area.
A brief business meeting for members will be held following the program.
2016 Events
CCHA Annual Meeting and Educational Program
Sunday, February 21, 2016 2:00 pm
Historic Courthouse
“Personal Glimpses of Chatham History”
Joe Hackney
Former Legislator and Speaker of the House
North Carolina General Assembly
Programs open to the public
2015 Events
The small towns of Bonlee and Bennett will be the topic of
a historical program by Mr. John Hudson Emerson on
Sunday, November 15, 2015, 2:30 pm in the Historic
Courthouse at Pittsboro.
Mr. Emerson has long been a friend of the Chatham County
Historical Association. Over the years he has enlightened
us on the career of Sheriff John Emerson, the Bonlee and
Western Railroad, the Regulator Movement in the area,
numerous other topics, as well as provided extensive
genealogy work on the Dunlap and Emerson families. His
programs are always in depth, informative, and fun. CCHA
is pleased to provide another opportunity to share history
with Mr. Emerson.
The towns of Bonlee and Bennett were bustling with business and community life in the early
1900’s. Many factors came into play to transition them to what they are today. Mr. Emerson’s
photographic collection included in his presentation will be supplemented by some artifacts on
display in the museum.
The program is free and open to the public. The Chatham County Historical Association, Inc. is a
non-profit corporation [501(c)(3)] with the goal of preserving and sharing the history of Chatham
County, North Carolina. Would you like to share your time and talents to help us reach our
goal? For more information or to contact us, call 919-542-6222 or visit our website at
www.chathamhistory.org
Chatham County Historical Association
Annual Meeting and Program
February 15, 2015 2:00 p.m.
Chatham County Historic Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC
The Story of the Non-Violent Student Sit-in Movement and the
Black Struggle for Equality - As told by the late Dr. Mansel Philip
McCleave
Please join us for the Chatham County Historical Association’s
February lecture on Dr. Mansel Philip McCleave and his involvement
with the student nonviolent sit-in protest at the Greensboro
Woolworth’s lunch counter. To celebrate Black History Month, the
CCHA will present a detailed look at how this Chatham County native
contributed to one of the most significant events in the American Civil
Rights Movement. We invite you to this fascinating celebration of how a local resident helped to
shape our contemporary society.
Siler City Police Chief Gary Tyson will open the event with a look at the life of Dr. Mansel and
his book, Hunger Pains in Our Heads: A Behind the Scenes Look at the Origin of the Sit-In
Movement. Dr. McCleave’s goddaughter, Teresa Walker will provide a personal and in depth
perspective on his work with the Greensboro sit-ins and the Civil Rights Movement. Mrs.
Walker’s presentation will shed light on how this Chatham County hero became in inspiration to
those struggling for equality in America. Finally, Dr. McCleave’s close friend Reverend Barry
Gray, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Siler City, will speak on Dr. Mansel McCleave’s
legacy and his lasting impact on Chatham County and our nation.
The Chatham County Historical Association’s February meeting is free and open to all. The
event will be held at the Pittsboro Historic Courthouse (40 East Chatham Street, Pittsboro NC,
in the circle) on February 15th, 2015 at 2:00 PM. Please join us in honoring the legacy of Dr.
Mansel Philip McCleave during this Black History Month celebration!
2014 Events
The Siler City Story: Images and Commentary
from Western Chatham County Local Historians
November 23, 2014, 2:00 p.m.
Siler City Courthouse, Siler City, NC
Join us for a wonderful look into the history of Siler City! The November presentation will be
opened by local author Marian Rogers-Lindsay with an introduction to her work, Images of
America – Siler City. Members will be invited to view fantastic images detailing the rich history of
Siler City, and may obtain copies of the book signed by the author.
Siler City natives Tommy Emerson, Jack Moody, and Ed Spence
will provide a collaborative commentary on the pictures and their
relationship to the past of Western Chatham County. These local
historians will provide firsthand accounts of Siler City’s past, as
well as vivid descriptions of key people, places, and events which
have helped make Siler City a vibrant and integral part Chatham
County’s story.
This will be a unique opportunity to learn about Siler City from primary sources and the
individual witnesses to the unfolding of Western Chatham County history.
The presentation will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 23rd at the Siler City
Courthouse. There is no cost, and all are invited!
ALL ROADS LEAD TO AND FROM CHATHAM
COUNTY
Lee D. Kent - Adjunct History Professor - UNC Pembroke
September 21, 2014 - 2:00pm
Historic Chatham County Courthouse Courtroom
Pittsboro, NC
The presentation will look at the original migration patterns into North Carolina
as a whole and in Chatham County in particular. The discussion will center on
the groups forming the historical make-up of the county, and the exodus of
families and groupings. Particular attention will be focused on the population
decrease in the 1830s. A question/answer period will follow the presentation.
Mr. Kent has retired from his professional career in the teaching at the public
school, community college, and University of Virginia levels. He now lives in
Pinehurst and teaches at Pembroke, Sandhills Community College, and according to his wife,
wherever someone wants to learn history.
A list of helpful genealogy websites will be provided at the event.
Recognition and Awards:
• National State Teacher of the Year (Virginia)
• Adjunct Professor of the Year - Northern Virginia Community College
• Daughters of the American Revolution History Teacher of the Year
• Washington Post Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher of the Year
• USA Today 100 Most Influential Teachers
“A Peek into Pittsboro’s Past”
A Tour of Historic Pittsboro
Homes
September 13, 2014
The Chatham County Historical Association
(CCHA) invites you to take a trip down memory
lane during its Saturday, September 13, 2014,
bus/walking tour showcasing many of Pittsboro’s
appealing and alluring homes and buildings in the
historic district.
Homeowners of selected houses will open their
homes to tour guests between the two tour hours of 10:00 a.m. to noon (Tour #1) or 1:00 – 3:00
p.m. (Tour #2). Tour ticket holders will embark on two Chatham Transit buses (each holding 16
guests) from the Chatham Historical Museum located in the Historic Chatham County Court
House in the heart of Pittsboro. Proceeds from tour ticket sales will enable the Historical
Association to enhance the Chatham History Museum programs and displays.
A total of 64 tickets for the Tour/Fundraiser at $50 per person will go on sale on a “first-come,
first-served” basis starting July 15. “When they’re gone… they’re gone,” said Cindy Perry, Tour
Committee member… so folks shouldn’t dally, dawdle or otherwise delay their purchase.”
Tickets are available by mailing a check to CCHA, Post Office Box 93, Pittsboro NC 27312.
Indicate if you wish to attend the morning or afternoon tour. The ticket price includes bus fare,
docent guides, costumed re-enactors, and light refreshments.
The following historical houses are included on the tour and visitors will be permitted to enter
the house but will be limited to specific areas of the first floor:
Highlights of “A Peek at Pittsboro’s Past” House Tour
Governor Manly’s Law Office
Masonic Lodge
The Freeman House (Nancy Simon) Salisbury Street
The Yellow House under renovation (Ray and Janet Carney) South Small Street
The Hall London House (Bradshaw and Robinson Attorneys) Hillsboro Street
The Manse (Cindy and Dan Perry) Hillsboro Street
The Wade Barber House (Fred Royal) Hillsboro Street
The Pilkington House (Jamie and Michael Fiocco) Hillsboro Street
The Dr. McBane House (Michelle and Jon-Paul Guarino) Hillsboro Street
Spa at Bell House
Historic Chatham County Courthouse
The tour of historically significant houses and buildings in Pittsboro is a rare opportunity to
observe the southern architecture up close and personal and hear from docents and
homeowners the intriguing history at each stop.
The Chatham County Historical Association preserves and celebrates the unique history of the
county; on this tour it spotlights Pittsboro, the oldest city in Chatham, named for William Pitt, the
Younger in 1787.
For further information, contact Susan Little, [email protected] , 919-929-7707.
Chatham County Historical Association
Spring Historical Program
"CIRCLECITY ARTIFACTS"
Sunday, May 18, 2014, 2:00 p.m.
Historical Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC
Free and open to the public
Come and join Linda Carnes-McNaughton, Archaeologist with Fort Bragg Military Base, and
Paul Webb with TRC Solutions, Inc., a company providing cultural resources consulting and
archaeological compliance services to a broad range of clients. Linda and Paul will talk about
surface collecting of artifacts done in the Pittsboro town area in the past couple years as ground
was disturbed with various building/renovation projects in the area.
See what you might find when you "play in the dirt."
Mark your calendar for upcoming events in the Historic Courthouse by CCHA:

First Sunday, June 1, July 6, August 3, Museum Open

September 21, Sunday afternoon, Collections of CCHA, program by Melissa
Delbridge, Archivist
Come and enjoy an afternoon learning about Chatham County.
Chatham County Historical Association
Annual Membership Meeting and Program
Sunday, February 23, 2014, 2:00 PM
Historical Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC
Free and open to the public
The Annual meeting program will be based on a newly published book "The Civil War in the
North Carolina Quaker Belt, The Confederate Campaign against Peace Agitators,
Deserters and Draft Dodgers" by William T. Auman, a prominent historian on many aspects
on the Civil War. Activities included in the Quaker Belt are also a part of Chatham's history.
Mr. Auman passed away in April, 2013. His sister, Ann Brown, a Pittsboro resident, assisted Mr.
Auman with his work on the book, which was edited and published after his death.
2013 Events
ANNUAL MEETING AND HISTORIC LECTURE
TRADITIONAL STRING MUSIC IN
CHATHAM COUNTY, 1930-2012
Sunday - February 24, 2013 - 2:00pm to
4:00pm
Holmes Meeting Room Chatham Community
Library
197 NC Highway 87 N Pittsboro, NC 27312
Tommy Edwards is a bluegrass and folk musician, singer,
songwriter and radio show host from central North
Carolina. He is a retired history teacher, coach and
administrator in the North Carolina Public School System.
For the past 40 years Tommy has played and recorded professionally with The Bluegrass Experience,
one of the Southeast's most respected groups and has more recently combined with vocalist and bassist
Alice Zincone and banjo master Rick Lafleur to create the "super trio" Carolina Lightnin’. A former twotime World’s Champion Bluegrass Guitarist, Edwards is also proficient on mandolin and banjo both of
which he plays with The Leroy Savage Group. He also appears from time to time in two-man shows with
Doc Watson’s long time accompanist Jack Lawrence. As a songwriter, he has been honored by having
his songs recorded by several North Carolina bands including Molasses Creek, Shady Grove, The
Brothers in Bluegrass, Kicking Grass, and The Bluegrass Experience. He has recorded four band albums
and five solo projects, several receiving critical acclaim in national publications. He and/or his music have
been the subject of many articles in a variety of publications, most recently in the January issue of Our
State Magazine.
Tommy’s original music has been featured in several diverse settings as well as in his own recordings. He
is considered an authority on bluegrass music and has been invited numerous times by William Ferris to
present traditional music history programs for the Center for the Study of the American South at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, UNC Music Department and the National Endowment for the
Humanities. He has written for Southern Cultures and presented lectures on aspects of folk culture at The
North Carolina Pottery Center and at other venues in the state. His radio program "Bluegrass Saturday
Night" has been broadcast for five years at WLHC in Sanford, NC and has recently been added to the
schedule of WRHC in Rocky Mount, NC.
Tommy lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina in a National Register home that he and his wife, Cindy,
restored.
2012 Events
America’s Second War for Independence,
War of 1812, Bicentennial Program
Sunday, 7 October 2012
2:00-4:00
Holmes Meeting Room
Chatham Community Library
CCCC Campus
197 Highway 87
Pittsboro
Two hundred years ago, Chatham County citizens provided troops to America's second war for
independence--the War of 1812. Chatham has a special connection to this conflict with the British through
Captain Johnston Blakeley, Naval hero, lost at sea with his sloop "Wasp."
A program commemorating the bicentennial of the War of 1812 will be presented by Chatham County
Historical Association, on Sunday, October 7. Robert Barnes, History Instructor at Central Carolina
Community College, will discuss the history of the War of 1812, the origins of the conflict, the motivation
for US involvement, a brief synopsis of the major events, and an examination of the consequences of the
war -- including the impact of the conflict on North Carolina and Chatham County.
Available at the program will be a list of Chatham soldiers who participated in the War of 1812. Come and
see if your family was represented.
The association will also be selling raffle tickets to raise funds for the new Chatham County museum. At
the program, items to be raffled will be on display. They include framed "Coal Fields of Chatham,"
Ramsey 1870 map, and the O'Neil whimsical print of Pittsboro. Winners will be notified after the Pittsboro
Street Fair on October 27.
Chatham County Courthouse Renovation
Architects Keynote Speakers
at Historical Association Meeting
Sunday, February 19, 2012 at 2:00pm
Bldg. 2, Multipurpose Room
Pittsboro Campus, Central Carolina Community College
764 West St., Pittsboro, NC 27312
Grimsley and Taylor Hobbs, AIA, of Hobbs Architects will tell us what is happening inside,
outside, and all around the courthouse reconstruction at CCHA’s annual meeting on Feb. 19.
Images of the Courthouse in various stages of demolition and rebuilding will illustrate their
narrative.
This will be your opportunity to listen, learn, and
ask questions to find out what is really happening
behind those courthouse doors. Get the inside
scoop on those things you wonder about as you
circle the courthouse and watch the activity inside
the chain link fence. Learn about some of the
courthouse’s secrets that the destructive fire of
2010 uncovered.
Also at this meeting, Association members will
share the progress on plans for exhibits in the
historical museum that will be housed on the first
floor of the restored courthouse. For more than a
year, a dedicated group of CCHA volunteers has been hard at work developing the exhibits to
tell the Chatham story.
Chatham County Historical Association welcomes everyone to the program and a brief annual
meeting. Both the meeting and program are free and open to the public.
2011 Events
Historical Society Continues Civil War Series
Sunday, May 22, 2011 at 2:00 PM
Pittsboro Campus of the Community College, Building 2, Multipurpose Room
On May 22, 2011, LeRae Umfleet will present a program
entitled "Life on the Home Front." The Civil War had a
profound effect on all aspects of life in the South. Stories
of bravery and suffering on the battlefields of the war are
often told, but most of us know far less about the lives of
those who stayed behind during those troubled years.
Ms. Umfleet will draw on Chatham County documents for
insight into the lives of ordinary local people during the
war - how women fared with family and farm with
husbands and fathers gone, ambivalent feelings about
the war, the home guard, and increasing shortages of
goods.
The second in a series of three public lectures
commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War
will be held in the multi-purpose room, building 2, at
Central Carolina Community College, Pittsboro,
beginning at 2:00 p.m. The program is free and open to
the public.
Throughout her career in public history, Ms. Umfleet has
worked with a multitude of sites in a variety of capacities,
including the North Carolina State Archives, the North
Carolina Collection in Chapel Hill, the Joel Lane Museum
House in Raleigh, Davis Library in Chapel Hill, and
Historic Hope Plantation in Windsor. Originally from Bath, North Carolina, LeRae graduated
from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1991 with a Bachelor's Degree in History and earned a Master's
Degree from East Carolina University in 1998. Reflecting her personal interest in plantation
slavery, her Master's thesis was entitled "Slavery in Microcosm: Bertie County, North
Carolina 1790-1810."
Ms. Umfleet currently is the Chief of Collections Management for the North Carolina Department
of Cultural Resources. In this position, she manages how the agency cares for, collects, stores,
and exhibits the objects in its custody. In her spare time, LeRae enjoys learning more about
women‚s roles during the Civil War, including sewing period fashions, and sharing her love of
history with anyone who will listen!
This lecture series began in early March with Dennis Brooks’ presentation about Chatham
troops and the battle of Gettysburg. It will end with a program in September presented by
Michelle Lanier entitled "A War with Many Voices: African-American Memory and the Civil
War."
ANNUAL MEETING
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.
Election of officers
Short reports of the state of CCHA
Dennis Brooks, Noted Historian
to speak at Historical Association’s Annual Meeting
Chatham County Historical Association is pleased to
have Dennis Brooks present the program “26th NC
Regiment at Gettysburg – The Chatham County
Connection”. Dennis’ interest in the involvement of
Chatham County troops in the Civil War has resulted in
his having done extensive study and research on the
topic. A rich history exists of contributions made by
Chathamites. Come and learn.
The program will be given on Sunday, March 6, 2011,
2:00 pm at the Pittsboro Campus of the Central Carolina
Community College, Building 2, Multipurpose Room. The
public is invited to attend and is free.
As 2011 begins the Civil War Sesquicentennial
Anniversary this program is first in a series. The second
program will be May 22 about “Chatham Life on the
Home Front” and the guest speaker will be Ms. LeRae
Umfleet from N. C. Department of Archives and
History. A third program is planned for later in the year
about “The Emancipation Proclamation and its Celebration in Chatham County.”
Also at this time, the annual meeting of the Association will be conducted. Officers and
directors will be presented for membership approval. Those being nominated for filling vacated
director positions are Jane Hinnant who has been serving as Secretary in an appointed
capacity, Mary Nettles and Cecil Wilson.
2010 Events
Chatham County Historical Association, Inc. Presents
Memorable Courthouse Stories
from
Those Who Worked There
Invited Panel
Attorney Jack Moody Mrs. Celeste Bryan Attorney Ed Holmes
Former Sheriff Don Whitt Retired Clerk of Court Janice Oldham Attorney Wade Barber
Judge Allen Baddour
Panel Moderator Tommy Emerson
Photographic Displays from Invited Photographers
Duane Hall Jeff Davis Gerald Dukes
Sunday, November 14, 2010 2:00 pm
Central Carolina Community College Pittsboro Campus
Multipurpose Room 764 West Street
The program is free and open to the public.
"Courthouse in the News" Display
A new display, "Courthouse in the News," a selection of photographs and news
articles about the Chatham County courthouse, opens Sunday, October 3, 2010, in the
interim Chatham Historical Museum in Pittsboro. The display will continue through
October and November, leading into the Chatham County Historical Association
program on November 14 featuring "Courthouse Stories" as told by local people,
with opportunity for the audience to share anecdotes. The historical society's museum
was destroyed in the fire in late March, but the collection has not been lost and a
temporary home at 184 East Street is open on First Sundays from 1-4 p.m. and on
Wednesdays from 12-3 p.m. For more information or directions, call 919 542-3603.
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPH: Henry Dunlap, chair of Chatham County Board of Commissioners,
speaks at the October 1991 dedication ceremony for the renovated courthouse, while Gene Brooks,
president of the Chatham County Historical Association, Inc. and master of ceremonies, looks on.
Guilford Courthouse and the True Price of Freedom
Presented by
Mr. Jim Kirkpatrick
Pittsboro Campus,
Central Carolina Community College
Building 2 Multi-purpose Room
Sunday, June 27, 2010
2:00 p.m.
Conversation and light refreshments following
Celebrate the story of America’s independence through Mr. Kirkpatrick’s presentation
about the Southern Campaign of the Revolutionary War leading up to the Battle of
Guilford Courthouse and its effect on bringing Cornwallis’ Army to subsequent defeat at
Yorktown. According to Mr. Kirkpatrick, it’s the story of ordinary people doing
extraordinary things. It’s the story of America as a people, a story that belongs to
everyone.
Mr. Kirkpatrick is a noted advocate for Revolutionary War history and the Guilford
Courthouse Battleground. He was one of the founders and first President of the New
Guilford Battleground Company which created Tannenbaum Park and the Colonial
Heritage Center around the old Hoskins house.
Chatham County Historical Association is proud to have Mr. Kirkpatrick as our
speaker. Please come and enjoy.
"The History of the Haw River"
a program presented by Mark Chilton,
author of An Historical Atlas of the Haw River
Learn more about the history of the Haw River Valley and how it relates to
Saxapahaw and the mill industry. A tasty brunch will be provided with coffee, tea and
other organic refreshments.
Sunday, May 2, 2010 at the River Landing Inn
5942 Whitney Road, Graham, NC 27253
Brunch: 11am-12:30pm
Program: 12:30pm-1:30pm
Suggested Donation: $15
This event is limited to 30 participants.
Proceeds from the events throughout the weekend will support the work of the Haw
River Assembly throughout the year. Learn more about us at www.hawriver.org
Exhibit at the Pittsboro Memorial Library
Saving Chatham’s History
January through February 2010
Using pictures and documents this exhibit presents
information about the history of Chatham County and
reviews the work of the historical society. “We hope the
exhibit will whet the appetite for local history and
encourage active participation in CCHA projects,” said
Jane Pyle, CCHA’s museum curator and creator of the
exhibit. The public is invited to view the exhibit at the
library (158 West St, Pittsboro -phone 542-3524), during
library hours (Mon, Wed, Thu and Fri 10-6, Tue 10-8, and
Sat 9-5)
The exhibit is sponsored by the Friends of the Pittsboro
Memorial Library and was prepared by the Chatham
County Historical Association.
Colored Confederates and United States Colored Troops
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Central Carolina Community College at 2:00 p.m. in the multipurpose room
The public is welcome at this free program.
Many people find it hard to believe that any African American, slave or free, would have willingly
served on the side of the Confederacy in the American Civil War. But Earl Ijames, a curator at
the North Carolina Museum of History, says that hundreds did just that, and that their reasons
for fighting were as varied and complex as those of white soldiers. These black soldiers, as well
as the blacks who served the Union cause, will be the subject of Mr. Ijames’ talk on Sunday,
February 28.
"The historically accurate term for the African Americans in the service of the Southern cause is
'colored Confederates,'" Ijames says, and thousands of
them went to war from Southern states, including North
Carolina. Some were slaves sent in place of their
masters, or were forced or volunteered to serve
alongside them. Others were free blacks who offered
their services. Whatever their reasons for serving,
Ijames says, these men deserve to be recognized for
their valor. "It's a miscarriage of justice for this many
people to be just blotted out of history," he believes.
Ijames has spent some 15 years studying this interesting
and controversial topic. He will present some examples
of people who served and discuss the historical
evidence available to document them. He will invite
questions following the presentation.
The public is invited to attend the program to learn more
about this fascinating and often ignored subject.
2009 Events
Arranging What We Have in Hand
& Finding What We Don’t:
Conducting Local Genealogical & Historical Research
James Vann Comer
Noted Professional Genealogist
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Central Carolina Community College
Pittsboro Campus
Multipurpose Room
2:00 p.m.
Every family has a “skeleton in the closet” and the
information that most genealogists are looking for is stored
in closets, basements, attics, in trunks and strong
boxes. Mr. Comer will be instructing us in how to look at
what we have and how to further research genealogical and
historical information. Come, listen, ask questions, and be
assured that you will take home valuable information and
new enthusiasm for your genealogy project.
During his years as a professional genealogist, Mr. Comer
has assisted people with their family research, in some
cases doing the research for them, and worked on other
projects and publications that have enhanced the area’s
genealogical and historical records. The holdings of our
Chatham County libraries include much of his material. Mr.
Comer lives in Sanford – in that part of Lee County that once was Chatham – and is a fount of
information about Chatham’s people.
He has published Central North Carolina Journal and was previously editor of the Lee County
Genealogical & Historical Society, Inc.’s newsletter The Times. As one of his more unusual
projects, he attempted to identify a skeleton found in the area with the attribution that it was “the
last man hanged.” Maybe we’ll hear the whole story.
Shew Yourselves to be Freemen:
The Regulator Movement in Chatham County, 1766-1771
John Hudson Emerson, speaker
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Program begins at 3:00 p.m.
Guided tour of the church grounds and area begins at 2:00 p.m.
Rives Chapel Church, 4338 Rives Chapel Church Rd., Siler City
Join us to learn more about Chatham County’s role in the Regulator
Movement—a fascinating and important part of North Carolina and US
history. John Hudson Emerson, a Chatham native and historian whose
ancestor James Emerson narrowly escaped hanging after being
captured at the Battle of Alamance, will discuss the movement at this
free program.
Come early for a brief tour of the church grounds or to take a short walk
to the Old Tick Creek cemetery nearby, where Regulator James
Emerson is buried. His grave marker suggests some of the drama of
the Regulator movement. It reads: “Patriot. A Regulator at the Battle of
Alamance, condemned to death by Gov. Tryon, pardoned by Gov.
Martin, lived to take part in the War of American
Independence.” Volunteers from the church will serve as guides for these activities beginning at
2:00 p.m. Lemonade and cookies will be served on the church grounds following the
presentation.
Mr. Emerson will discuss the “grievous oppressions” that the Regulators opposed and the
implications of the Regulator movement for the formation of Chatham County and for North
Carolina’s participation in the Revolutionary War. He will describe clashes between Regulators
and British forces that involved thousands of settlers, and will talk about the roles some early
Chatham settlers played in the Regulator movement.
Background:
Beginning in 1766—six years before the Boston Tea Party and nine years before the Battle of
Bunker Hill—settlers in what is now Chatham County participated in a movement that would
lead to what many historians consider to be the earliest armed conflict against the British in the
American colonies. Yet many are unfamiliar with this Regulator Rebellion, whose participants
walked the very ground we call home today.
By some estimates, there were more than 6,000 participants in the Regulator movement—
accounting for nearly three-fourths of the NC backcountry’s white adult male population. It
began with petitions and civil disobedience, and ended in May of 1771 when Governor William
Tryon's Colonial Militia violently suppressed an armed rebellion at the Battle of Alamance, at
which two- to three-thousand Regulators were decisively defeated by Tryon’s smaller, but wellarmed forces.
Among the Regulators were a large number of early Chatham settlers. Some of their family
names are still represented in Chatham today.
Museum exhibit:
In anticipation of Mr. Emerson's presentation on the Regulator movement in Chatham County, a
special exhibit will be on display in the Chatham Historical Museum. The display features
Chatham-area men who participated in the Regulator movement and the locations of their
properties, where known. The exhibit opens August 5 and will remain for several months. The
Chatham Historical Museum is located in the historic county courthouse in Pittsboro and is open
on Wednesdays from noon until 3 p.m. and First Sundays.
The Chatham County Historical Association is hosting a free
Walking Tour and Open House of Historical Places in Pittsboro
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009
1:00 -4:00 pm
Docents will be available at most sites to discuss the history of the place and to answer
questions.
Have you ever wondered what Saint Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church or the Pittsboro Masonic
Lodge look like on the inside?
Did you know that the cute house on Salisbury Street next to the Baptist Church dates from
before 1815 and was owned, along with much of the property in that block, by a free black man,
Lewis Freeman?
See a partially reconstructed log-cabin near the Pittsboro Library, on Rectory Street. Visit the
graves of some important Chatham County residents, and see a close-up view of the interior of
Governor Charles Manly’s tiny law office. Come discover other Pittsboro treasures you may not
even know exist.
This is your chance to come inside some of the interesting places that you pass by in Pittsboro
and to learn about their history.
Free maps and a listing of open sites will be available at the Chatham County Courthouse in
the traffic circle and at all other sites on the tour.
Enjoy your individual tour, visiting the sites YOU choose. Travel by foot or by car at your own
pace.
Sites open for the tour include
The Historic Chatham County Courthouse
Masonic Lodge
Governor Manly’s Law Office
Pittsboro Methodist Church and cemetery
A Conversation with Perry W. Harrison,
retired Superintendent of Chatham County Schools
2:30 p.m. Sunday, February 15, 2009
Superior Courtroom, Chatham County Courthouse in Pittsboro
Perry Harrison, a highly respected citizen of Chatham County, served as
Superintendent of Chatham County Schools from 1967 until he retired in
1994. We are privileged to have him share his first-hand thoughts and
observations about this historic period of school history with us.
The Chatham Historical Museum, located in the Courthouse, will open
at 2. Our annual meeting will precede the program, and light
refreshments will be served following the program.
Please attend and bring your friends to our free program!
2008 Events
Doing Good in Chatham
Sunday, February 17, 2008 2:30 PM
In the second floor courtroom of the Chatham County Courthouse
This historical presentation promises to be extremely informative to anyone interested in
the history and heritage of our area. Admission is free.
“I am very proud of the quality of presenters we have for this series of lectures,” said
Barbara Pugh, president of the CCHA. “All are experts in their respective fields, and
provide entertaining and informative presentations.”
The presentation will feature speakers from three of the many significant community
groups having served the county during its over two-hundred thirty year history.
These groups are:
Kiwanis International of Pittsboro
Rotary International of Siler City
Ruritan National of Silk Hope
A short business meeting for CCHA members will precede the talk to allow the
organization to elect the directors and officers to lead it through the coming year.
History is the story of people and how they shaped the society around them. The
relationships among people manifesting as politics, diplomacy, and commerce are the
most prominent of human interaction, yet those linkages are but part of the story.
Community groups play a large role in the heritage of any community, and Chatham
County has been rich in this respect. This session will present three of the groups
having shaped the history of the county, showing how they have affected the
development of the area.
They will also describe their current programs and plans for the future, providing an
insight into the history yet to be made around us.
Chatham County Courthouse
12 East Street (in the circle)
Pittsboro, NC 27312
Located in the center of the traffic circle in the historic district of Pittsboro.
Admission is free to the public.
Light refreshments will be served following the session, and attendees will be able to
meet and interact with the presenters directly, discussing the points made in their talk or
any other subject.
CCHA is Out and About
Going into the county and attending various local events is one of
the really enjoyable tasks of the CCHA. On April 17, CCHA had a
display at the Silk Hope Ruritans' Heritage Day. To say the least it
was a unique situation for us.
This was the first time we have had a display alongside a Tyke
Tractor Pull, not to mention Army parachutists landing among old
farm equipment. But best of all were the people who visited with
us that day. One important young man was Lane Teague,
pictured receiving a Fried Rabbit book from Kenneth
Crabtree. Lance was the 3rd-5th Grade Winner for his writing in
the Silk Hope Farm Heritage Writing Contest. Lance wrote a
“Thank You Letter to a Farmer” who just happened to be his
grandfather.
In the letter, he thanked his grandfather and the other farmers
who started the annual Old Fashion Farmer’s Day on Labor Day
week-end. Lance said that in addition to learning about farming
history, it's "a time to just have fun!" If you come to Old Fashion
Farmer’s Day, you might visit a CCHA booth there too.
2005 Events
Cleaning and Preserving Textile Heirlooms
Ellen Teague Miller tells us how to care for those lovely quilts that are becoming too
fragile to use, the first prom dress from 1960, and the towels woven on the old barn
loom.
Sunday, October 23, 2005 at 3 p.m.
in the Multipurpose Room at CCCC in Pittsboro
Textile heirlooms and keepsakes require special care to preserve them for future
use. Conserving them involves an understanding of the effects of light, temperature,
humidity and insects, and proper cleaning, storage or displaying. This program
discusses each of these topics, including demonstrations of suggested care, storage
and display.
Please bring your textile heirlooms, especially ones from Chatham County, to
share.
Guests are welcome.
Ellen Teague Miller, our speaker, holds degrees in Home Economics and Extension
Education. You might remember her when she was with the Chatham County
Agricultural Extension Service from 1980-87. Most recently Ms. Miller was Apparel and
Textile Specialist at NC State University, Superintendent of the Clothing Department at
the NC State Fair and State Advisor to the N C Extension Homemakers Association. At
present she teaches apparel development among other home economics topics at
Northwood High School.
22May2017
2017