When the town of Fuquay-Varina celebrated its Centennial in 2009, the Centennial Commission established the Fuquay-Varina Museums Complex. The Fuquay-Varina Museums Complex opened on June 6, 2009. Located at 131 South Fuquay Avenue, the museum presents an intriguing picture of the town’s history and growth. I toured the museum complex with Shirley Simmons, Museum Director and extraordinary historian of all things Fuquay-Varina. Walking through the meticulously restored buildings and other artifacts on the property along with Shirley’s lively historical narrative, I came away with a new appreciation of the town’s long and remarkable history.
The Centennial Museum houses treasured artifacts donated by townspeople who have shared their stories as well as their collections over the years. The complex includes the Squire Ballentine School, the first Fuquay post office, a faithfully reassembled tobacco barn, the Johnson children’s playhouse, the Norfolk Southern Caboose #375, a sundial with a history, and the “Ghost Farmers” sculpture.
The J.D. Squire Ballentine School: This two-room schoolhouse was the first school to be opened in this area after the Civil War, and the only known building that survived from that period. It is thought that the building survived because it was built on the Mineral Springs property, and as such, floors and windows were put in it so it would not appear derelict. School records from that time say that the schools were abysmal. They had dirt floors and no windows—that is possibly why other school structures didn’t survive and this building did. Mr. and Mrs. Ballentine taught there, one in each of the two rooms of the schoolhouse, until Mrs. Ballentine had two more children and Mr. Ballentine went back to work running a store, farming, and filling the role of justice of the peace, at which time, they hired teachers.
In 1993, a group of citizens who did not want the school to be destroyed, moved the school onto its current museum site and collected money to restore the building. The school is furnished true to original: benches, bookcase, blackboard painted on the wall, fireplace for heat. The rooms contain the history of the building and the story of the growth of high schools in the area, as well as a repository for school artifacts through the 1940s.
The building also later served as a cottage near the Mineral Spring. When “Aunt Mary” lived in it, she said she had to keep the door locked as people would wander in thinking it was part of the Springs.
The Old Post Office Building: When Haddie Parker came to teach at the J.D. Squire Ballentine School, the Ballentines introduced her to Mr. Grover Jones, and they married. When the post office vacancy came up, Haddie applied for it and got the job as postmistress. But at that time, you had to have your own building to start a post office. The building that was to become the post office was on the Jones’ property on Highway 42, and they provided the post office building for Haddie Parker Jones.
Restoration of the old post office building, which now sits on the museum complex property, was a project given to the town for the Centennial Celebration in 2009. Inside this building, a mannequin, which somewhat resembles Hattie Parker Jones, sits at the mail slots. The post office is full of artifacts and collections from area post offices.
The Ghost Farmers: Artist Ben Harris grew up here but went to live in San Francisco for a while where he had a studio. He returned with a portfolio of statuesque artwork that incorporated bottles and other curious items into it. Currently living back in Fuquay-Varina, he offered one of his pieces, “The Ghost Farmers,” to the museum for the Centennial. Shirley felt this would be an appropriate piece for the museum since, at the time, an old tobacco barn was planned for the complex and the art would represent the small farmers of the community who could no longer make a living; thus, they were ‘the ghost farmers’.
Tobacco Barn: Charles McLauren headed up the project of moving this 100-year-old tobacco barn made of logs chinked with mud that was located near Greensboro. The group meticulously disassembled the 3-room barn, numbered each log, and reassembled it on its rock foundation at the museum site. Recently, a tobacco slide was constructed beside the building. The tobacco barn tells the story of how tobacco was processed back then.
The Norfolk Southern Caboose #375: The caboose is a piece of history which is almost non- existent today. Caboose #375, which at one time ran through Fuquay-Varina, was rescued and restored to its original appearance and is used to educate visitors about the purpose it served. Visitors learn about early trains, early depots, and about the conductor’s job. Eventually the caboose will be joined by a reconstructed first depot.
The Sundial: Originally, there was a warehouse on the museum complex property. At the height of 1948, there were 12 warehouses in town. In 2016, when the last remaining warehouse (Varina Brick, dating back to 1914) was torn down, some of the bricks from that building were acquired and used to construct a sundial column to commemorate the history of warehouses in town. The sundial itself was donated by the last class that graduated from Fuquay Springs High School.
The Johnson Playhouse: When the town acquired the Mineral Springs property from the Woodrow Johnson heirs, this unique little playhouse on the property was in danger of being destroyed. The Johnsons had built it for their two girls. The museum was able to acquire the playhouse and then move their own collection of children’s toys into the playhouse. On display are toys from way back to present. A toy soldier collection, a surprising Little Red Riding Hood doll, and a pair of stilts are only a few of the interesting toys on display.
Main Museum Building: The main building is full of artifacts acquired or donated by townspeople that present a running history of the town. Dr. Wiley Simeon Cozart, Jr., the town’s doctor and mayor for 10 years until he was assassinated in 1952, has a recreated office in the museum building with intriguing medical implements on display. There are three jail cells, one of which housed a prisoner who preached out the window every Saturday night for all the households in the area to hear. Fire and police department memorabilia, archived newspapers, and a large collection of DVDs of people interviewed in the past are among the numerous pieces displayed. In addition, you will see artifacts from the oldest drug store in town, Elliotts Pharmacy, in business for 99 years before it closed in 2013.
If you are interested in local history, you will enjoy a visit to the Fuquay-Varina Museums Complex. The best way to schedule a tour or to get further information about the museum is to visit the website: Fuquay-Varina-museums.org. There you will find contact info for Shirley Simmons, Museum Director. Right now, tours are scheduled as requested, but Shirley hopes to open on a regular schedule again soon. Shirley notes that she tailors the tour to the interest of the group or person.
The story of Fuquay-Varina is ongoing, and its history is still being made by those who call Fuquay-Varina home.
