5 Scrapbooks, several fliers, a local mill’s employee newspaper, and an assortment of news clippings from the Rockingham County Public Library are the latest additions to the collaborative Rockingham County Legacy project.
- Welcome to Madison Rockingham County – Wagon Train
- Madison Public Library
- Rockingham County People, Vol. I
- Rockingham County People, Vol. II
Beards of the Week, Welcome to Madison Rockingham County N.C. – Wagon Train, Page 50
- Rockingham County People, Vol. III
- Madison Sesquicentennial Celebration [1968]
- Legends of Ghost Who Came Down the Attic Stairs Surround Fabulous Berry Hill Near Draper
- Some Rockingham County Churches
- Speedwell Presbyterian Church
- Bethel A.M.E. Church, Reidsville, N.C.
- Fieldcrest Mill Whistle Company Newspaper
Birthdays were a pervasive theme among some of DigitalNC’s new additions from the Rockingham County Public Library. The Welcome to Madison Rockingham County – Wagon Train Scrapbook documents the festivities for the town’s 150th Birthday, including parades, dances, and competitions. Perhaps one of the more interesting competitions was the “Beards of the Week,” featured in the back pages of the scrapbook. Sesquicentennial activities had Madison reliving earlier days, as the clippings demonstrate costumes from several different decades. The most popular period covered in the scrapbook appears to be the early 19th century, with men, women, and children all looking the part in articles from the Madison Messenger. The Madison Sesquicentennial Celebration [1968] folder also features fliers, brochures, and order forms for the different events during the celebration. However, the town of Madison was not the only community celebrating. The congregation of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Reidsville, N.C. documented their Centennial Celebration with a booklet, as well. Speedwell Presbyterian Church and Some Rockingham County Churches are sets of newspaper clippings that document several other churches’ birthdays, anniversaries, and moments.
Madison Public Library, Page 42
The Madison Public Library Scrapbook documents the successes and trials of several library branches in Rockingham County during the 1950’s. While Madison Public Library experienced growth, both in the collection and in numbers of users, it also faced budgetary and resources constraints.
Rockingham County People Vol. I, Page 34.
Rockingham County People, Volumes I-III, could serve as an interesting research tool to those seeking genealogical research about members of the Rockingham County community. The scrapbooks, sorted alphabetically, feature profiles of people who once resided in the county. Some profiles document the daily lives of everyone from church leaders to stay-at-home mothers, while others highlight the interesting and important accomplishments of people that represent the county. One such example is the story of newspaper editor, Horace Carter, who waged a print war against the Ku Klux Klan during the 1950’s. Carter attacked the Klan through his paper and aided the FBI and SBI in undercover work. He eventually won several awards including the Pulitzer Prize.
To see any of the items featured here in full, along with the entire collection, visit the Rockingham County Legacy exhibit page. For more information about the Rockingham County Public Library and their materials, visit their contributor page on DigitalNC or their website.
