The Benson Museum of Local History has once again provided us with a new batch of unique and entertaining photographs from their collection! For those familiar with this collection, some old family names (Barefoot, Creech, Godwin, Medlin and more) are back, as well as some new looks into the lives of the residents of the town of Benson. In particular, this batch of photos contains a number of images related to the Benson Kiwanis Club.

Other photographs show the town’s citizens from the early 1900s up to the 1970s. Many are simple portraits or group photographs, but every once in a while a mischievous face or school-boy prank catches the eye.

To see what else the Benson Museum of Local History has offered for digitization, see their contributor page on DigitalNC and these previous blog posts.

Easter Egg Hunt, circa 1950.

More photographs from the Benson Museum of Local History have been added to DigitalNC. These 168 photographs join 339 previously uploaded images. They depict daily life in Benson, North Carolina, and many of the same families and places from previous uploads appear again. You can see a variety of people and places, including citizens of Benson, local businesses, homes, parades, performing arts, sports, students, churches, and drawings. Most of the photographs are from the twentieth century.

You can see more from the Benson Museum of Local History on their contributor page and learn more about them on their website. You can also view more blog posts about the Benson Museum of Local History.

First Mule Day Parade, circa 1950.

Glencoe School in New Bethel Township, Rockingham County; photograph taken in 1980.

200 more slides from Rockingham Community College’s architecture slide collection have been digitized and added to DigitalNC. The slides show early architecture around Rockingham County, including houses, barns, farms, schools, banks, mills, and tobacco factories. Taken in the early 1980s, these photographs include multiple exterior as well as interior views of the buildings. Some of buildings still stand today and others no longer exist, but location, owners’ names, and building dates are included in the descriptions of the photographs.

You can learn more about these slides and the architecture depicted  in the Guide to the Early Rockingham County Architecture Slide Collection. See more from Rockingham Community College on the contributor page and learn more on their website.

A woman stands in front of a railroad depot with cotton platform.

More photographs from the Benson Museum of Local History have been digitized and uploaded to DigitalNC. Like the photographs added in the past, these show citizens and everyday life in Benson, North Carolina. Many of the people and events are familiar from past uploads. Names such as Barefoot, McLamb, Parrish, and Woodall appear again as well as events like the Benson Singing Convention.

Jesse Stephenson with the mail wagon.

Young Sisters Trio at Benson Singing Convention.

All of the Benson Museum of Local History photographs can be viewed here. You can see our blog posts about previous uploads from the Benson Museum of Local History from November, September, and June. The museum’s website can be found here.

Corn Crib at Locust Point, 1980

Rockingham Community College has shared part of a unique collection of slides that document early architecture in Rockingham County. There are large plantation houses as well as kitchens, barns, and other small buildings found on homesteads. Most of these slides are exterior views of buildings, but interiors and shots of specific architectural details seem to have been taken when the opportunity presented itself. Some of the buildings are still standing and have even been renovated, like the Spray Mercantile Building (before, after). Others have been demolished, making these images both poignant and valuable for research. Family names and locations are included for many as well.

We’d like to share the description from Rockingham Community College’s website about the creators, origin, and extent of this collection:

This collection developed from an interest in the early architecture of Rockingham County, North Carolina by Reidsville native Siler Rothrock, who had grown up working in his family’s building supply business.  While completing his master’s degree, he engaged in the antique and refinishing business.  Developing an interest in local architecture, he enrolled in the fall of 1978 in Dr. Lindley Butler’s local history class at Rockingham Community College where he met local historian Bob Carter.  They agreed to travel the rural sections of the county and photograph the early houses still standing.  From 1978 until 1986 they photographed most of the pre-Civil War structures in the county.  Bob Carter did the deed research and interviews to identify the builders and occupants of the houses.  With this background in architecture, Siler Rothrock established his own construction firm specializing in old home restoration.  He has since developed a statewide reputation in the restoration field.

We hope to share additional slides from this collection during the new year. If you’re interested in Rockingham County history, definitely check out the Rockingham County Legacy exhibit. You can view other items shared specifically by Rockingham Community College on their contributor page.

Aiken Pratt House, Exterior View, 1981