The Rowan Museum in Salisbury, N.C.

Sue is a wizard at finding places to go which are still close enough for me to visit comfortably. She often “discovers” places which I have passed without notice several times; such as this little museum in Salisbury, the seat of Rowan County. 

It’s located right next door to the Rowan County Court House and Police Station; two  places with which I am familiar. I’ve filed many documents in the one; and pled to a few citations in the other. But I never noticed the small Greek revival building next door on Main Street.

But Sue did. Actually she read about it in one of those little papers which most men don’t ever look at. You know; the local ones with coupons and gardening stuff. Also; apparently; articles about local historical sites in the area. That’s where she ran across this one.

Located on Main Street, next door; as I’ve said; to the Courthouse, is a small Greek revival building which looks as Southern as it can. It was built in 1855 and was home to the original County Courthouse until 1914, when the building next door opened. It is now home to the Rowan Museum and is open Monday through Saturdays from 10 AM to 6 PM and is free of charge; though donations are encouraged.

When you walk through the doors your senses are assaulted with color from all of the objects displayed in cases which line the walls of the main hallway. Off of this hallway; to either side; are rooms which are devoted to different aspects of the history of Rowan County. These rooms range from the early settlers; this was once the Western frontier, long before the Wild West of Hollywood fame; to the more modern ones about the mill towns and textile industry; which was once such a predominant part of the economy here.

The room dealing with the impact of the First World War locally was of special interest to me as my grandfather trained in nearby Spartanburg, S.C., right before shipping off to France in the summer of 1918, just in time for the final offensive drive to Berlin. All in all, this was a delightful meander back through the county’s attic; so to speak; not unlike the Smithsonian in its own unique way.

I know that Sue was especially delighted to see this room; which serves as the meeting room for the local DAR chapter, as she is a member in the Mooresville one. Her great, great, Grandfather Henry Pensinger fought in the Revolution; losing a leg at the Battle of Ticonderoga humping cannon over snowy mountains for the surprise raid on the British. Then they humped the cannon back over the same mountains on the way home.  There is also the actual old courthouse; which is located upstairs and I did not see. Sue did, and she can finish telling you about that as well as more about the local DAR chapter. Take it away, Sue....

   

The Elizabeth Maxwell Steele Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution was chartered in 1898. It is named for Elizabeth Steele as she was a “Salisbury Patriot”, who operated a Tavern just up the street from this corner during the American Revolution. The story is that General Nathanial Greene stopped overnight at the Tavern. When Mrs. Steele realized he needed funds for his Troops, she gave him her life savings. (Note the money bag on her portrait on the wall.)

The second floor is the actual old courtroom with a wrap- around interior balcony.  You can stand in the balcony and imagine the old courtroom scenes below. It has been refurbished and is available for event rentals. To the side of the courtroom, are doors that lead you out to the exterior balcony that overlooks the historic downtown.

Howser House

Nestled about an hour from our house, in the Kings Mountain National Park, is the stone house built in 1803 by a veteran of the Revolutionary War named Henry Howser. The house was home to several generations of Howser’s who farmed the fertile soil there. The site itself is also historically significant; as it sits right on the edge of what was once a famous battleground in the struggle for Independence.

The area in which Kings Mountain sits was a hotly disputed area during the war, with the Loyalists largely holding sway over the daily lives of the people who lived there. Because of this a group of volunteers from Tennessee were compelled to set out to cross the mountains separating Eastern Tennessee from the Piedmont area of the Carolinas. They took their canons with them.

The result of their efforts to help the people there throw off the yoke of British rule became known as the Battle of Kings Mountain. It was a significant victory, as it allowed the Continental Army to exert some control over the all-important mountain routes which were needed to resupply the Continental Army on the other side of the mountain, and as such it united the efforts of both colonies to be free.

The house itself is made of the local fieldstone and was considered to be quite a palace for its time and place. Oddly, although located within the boundaries of the Kings Mountain National Park itself, the house is only open 2 days a year; once in May and then again on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. That’s when Sue and I went, last Saturday.

The Howser House is a treasure for anyone looking to broaden their knowledge of life in the early 19^th Century. Staffed by volunteers in period costumes, the visitors are shown how things were done in the old days; everything from raising herbs and vegetables to cooking and even constructing such a house are either demonstrated or discussed.

Sue and I love these type of day trips, as they require very little walking for me, but also provide a fantastic window back in time. With Sue being a member of DAR; and her great grandfather several times removed, Henry Pensinger being an American revolutionary Veteran; these sights are almost personal in a way. With no photographs, and very little in the way of written reminisces of the time, this is one of the best ways to see and feel what his daily life must have been like.

The following links will provide directions and information on both the Howser House and Kings Mountain National Park;

http://www.npca.org/about-us/center-for-park-research/stateoftheparks/kingsmountain/KIMO-report.pdf (about the Park)

http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1090&context=archanth_books  (about the Howser House)

The Mecklenburg Declaration - 1775

On May 19^th, 1775,   a messenger arrived in Charlotte bearing news of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which had taken place a month previous. That, in itself, is testament to the trials of living in the “good old days.” In this age of instant news, it is almost inconceivable.

The messenger arrived at a time in which Charlotte, and Governor Tryon of North Carolina, were involved in a separate dispute of their own with King George. That dispute concerned the use of the Queens name; which happened to be Charlotte.

There had been an agreement between the Governor and the King to allow the construction of a Presbyterian College, which would go on to become Queen’s College and is still in operation today. Apparently the King had a change of heart and withdrew his consent, angering many of the local; and for the most part; loyal citizens. They were, to say the least, primed for action. And the arrival of the messenger on the afternoon of May 19^th gave them just the reason they needed to vent that anger.

The following afternoon, May 20^th, 1775; over 1 year previous to the Declaration of Independence; the citizens of Charlotte produced what has become known as  the “Mecklenburg Declaration”, which declared complete independence from the King. This was one of the many reasons which gave rise to the nickname amongst the King’s court of Charlotte as a “hornet’s nest.”

Local artist William Puckett has spent the better part of the past year chronicling these events on the walls of the underpass for North Davidson Street at Matheson Avenue, just north of downtown; well, here they call it “uptown”; Charlotte. And what a wonderful job he has done!

In place of the graffiti which had previously lined these walls, there is now a beautiful and richly painted account of a major event in our local history. Saturday marked the official “unveiling” of the mural, which lines both sides of the underpass, which lead to the NoDa (North Davidson) area of the city. Previously blighted and crime ridden, the area has had a major renaissance in the 14 years Sue and I have lived here. It is where we go to listen to music, as well as to look at art.

The event was well planned, and included a few costumed “re-enactors”, who lent a colonial flavor to the day. I’m always grateful to those people who come out in period dress, including the woman who was clothed as a slave. It serves as a living reminder of who we are, and how we got here. It hasn’t been easy; and sometimes less than fun; but looking back gives hope for the future. It’s often said that “the only thing new is the history you don’t know”.  For more about this mural, and the artist himself, go to; williampuckett.com