May 16, 2025 Coats Museum News
Isn’t Harnett County one of the most beautiful places to live in the springtime? The tender new growth on the trees, the white, pink and red dogwoods in full blooms, the numerous colored azaleas, rhododendrons and irises, the red amaryllises and Knock Out roses cause one to apply brakes on the newly tarred and graveled roads around Coats.
For a few short weeks this beauty draws our attention away from the fast foods boxes, aluminum cans and occasional mattress or sofa that litter our country roadsides. You ask yourself -”Why?” not realizing that there are many visitors to our county who have that same question pop into their minds.
Many of my relatives have traveled to Switzerland and have commented on how litter free that country is. Lee Shearin of Swift Textiles had spent eight days there in the summer of 1995. The following are some of his observations. Lee noted that there was no air-conditioning since they have only four weeks of hot temperatures in a year. He shared that the people were extremely honest-high integrity. Travel was by walking, biking or riding the train. Food was eaten outside and he enjoyed a “Big Mac”, small fries and drink for $10.50. (Recall that amount of money once would have purchased ten and one-half acres of land). Belle in her “Notes” extended sympathy to Mrs. Lydia Byrd in the death of her son-J.E. Byrd (Daily Record Aug. 10, 1995).
Pope is a very recognizable and respected name in Harnett County with many of them living on this side of the Cape Fear River in the Black River area. Surely many of you can think of a Pope of whom you have knowledge. In Coats for years there was a Pope’s Dime Store and later a Pope’s Store and finally a Pope’s Variety and True Value Hardware Store which had a grand reopening in its 12,000 square foot building in the Village Square (Daily Record Aug. 9, 1995).
Tony and Anna Belle Stewart had several international guests. Their daughter, Tonya Stewart, had visited here with a friend from Sidney, Australia who was also a veterinarian there. She came for a conference and visited the School of Veterinarian Medicine at NC State. Tonya brought Dr. Karen Hoffman to meet Tony and Anna Belle. Another weekend, friends of Tonya’s from South Wales and England were visiting the NC School Of Veterinarian Medicine at State so Tonya could not pass up an opportunity for them to eat Tony’s grilled chicken and homemade peach ice cream made by Clayton and Annie Ruth Stewart (Aug. 10, 1995).
The Coats Town Board heard that a candidate for the November election had been ruled ineligible to run for a town seat. James Willis Sills, Jr., was not registered in town when he filed for the town council. A road was asked to remain as Brick Mill Road rather than the “Vic McLeod” as requested by a group of people. Bickett and Judy Turlington, who owned the Brick Mill Storage, appeared before the council to request the council to help in preserving the historic name.
Melissa Matthews was named 1995 Young Miss NC. Melissa was a sophomore at South Johnston and received a $500 scholarship as one of her prizes. Coats Community Voices planned Summerfest Fair. The fair was to be held at the Williamson-Cameron Memorial Park on Dooley Street. Sandra Butler and Gale Spears worked the event (Daily Record Aug. 11, 1995).
Bob and Adlay McArthur had announced the engagement of their daughter, Debra Ann, to William James Campbell. A bank in Benson employed the bride-to-be while the prospective groom worked for CVI Inc.
How proud Mr. and Mrs. James Grimes were as First LT. and Mrs. Eric Sauer reaffirmed their wedding vows at the Howard House in Dunn. The couple was married in Hawaii in January. Mrs. Sauer was formerly Cheri E. Grimes (Daily Record Aug. 15, 1995).
Wanda Williams hosted the Coats United Methodist Women. Evelyn Roberts presided and Marilyn Ennis presented the program on Charles Wesley (Daily Record Aug. 15, 1995).
The M & W Auto Sales Inc was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Johnny Honeycutt was pictured being congratulated by Marie Watson, Darrell Smith and Glenda Denton (Daily Record Aug. 16, 1995).
Thank you to the friend who remembered our amazing Becky Adams on her birthday with an honorarium to the Coats Museum Building Fund. Becky’s phone stayed busy at the museum on Thursday with many calls wishing her a special birthday. Thanks to Robie Butler the volunteers and visitors enjoyed a ten layer chocolate cake. She gives so much volunteer time to the museum.
Please join us on Sunday at the museum from 3 pm-on to meet Dr. Lori Moore Langdon. With her many accomplishments, she is an excellent role model for our young people from a rural community. She will be signing two of her books and we would love for our museum followers meet this amazing doctor.
Isn’t Harnett County one of the most beautiful places to live in the springtime? The tender new growth on the trees, the white, pink and red dogwoods in full blooms, the numerous colored azaleas, rhododendrons and irises, the red amaryllises and Knock Out roses cause one to apply brakes on the newly tarred and graveled roads around Coats.
For a few short weeks this beauty draws our attention away from the fast foods boxes, aluminum cans and occasional mattress or sofa that litter our country roadsides. You ask yourself -”Why?” not realizing that there are many visitors to our county who have that same question pop into their minds.
Many of my relatives have traveled to Switzerland and have commented on how litter free that country is. Lee Shearin of Swift Textiles had spent eight days there in the summer of 1995. The following are some of his observations. Lee noted that there was no air-conditioning since they have only four weeks of hot temperatures in a year. He shared that the people were extremely honest-high integrity. Travel was by walking, biking or riding the train. Food was eaten outside and he enjoyed a “Big Mac”, small fries and drink for $10.50. (Recall that amount of money once would have purchased ten and one-half acres of land). Belle in her “Notes” extended sympathy to Mrs. Lydia Byrd in the death of her son-J.E. Byrd (Daily Record Aug. 10, 1995).
Pope is a very recognizable and respected name in Harnett County with many of them living on this side of the Cape Fear River in the Black River area. Surely many of you can think of a Pope of whom you have knowledge. In Coats for years there was a Pope’s Dime Store and later a Pope’s Store and finally a Pope’s Variety and True Value Hardware Store which had a grand reopening in its 12,000 square foot building in the Village Square (Daily Record Aug. 9, 1995).
Tony and Anna Belle Stewart had several international guests. Their daughter, Tonya Stewart, had visited here with a friend from Sidney, Australia who was also a veterinarian there. She came for a conference and visited the School of Veterinarian Medicine at NC State. Tonya brought Dr. Karen Hoffman to meet Tony and Anna Belle. Another weekend, friends of Tonya’s from South Wales and England were visiting the NC School Of Veterinarian Medicine at State so Tonya could not pass up an opportunity for them to eat Tony’s grilled chicken and homemade peach ice cream made by Clayton and Annie Ruth Stewart (Aug. 10, 1995).
The Coats Town Board heard that a candidate for the November election had been ruled ineligible to run for a town seat. James Willis Sills, Jr., was not registered in town when he filed for the town council. A road was asked to remain as Brick Mill Road rather than the “Vic McLeod” as requested by a group of people. Bickett and Judy Turlington, who owned the Brick Mill Storage, appeared before the council to request the council to help in preserving the historic name.
Melissa Matthews was named 1995 Young Miss NC. Melissa was a sophomore at South Johnston and received a $500 scholarship as one of her prizes. Coats Community Voices planned Summerfest Fair. The fair was to be held at the Williamson-Cameron Memorial Park on Dooley Street. Sandra Butler and Gale Spears worked the event (Daily Record Aug. 11, 1995).
Bob and Adlay McArthur had announced the engagement of their daughter, Debra Ann, to William James Campbell. A bank in Benson employed the bride-to-be while the prospective groom worked for CVI Inc.
How proud Mr. and Mrs. James Grimes were as First LT. and Mrs. Eric Sauer reaffirmed their wedding vows at the Howard House in Dunn. The couple was married in Hawaii in January. Mrs. Sauer was formerly Cheri E. Grimes (Daily Record Aug. 15, 1995).
Wanda Williams hosted the Coats United Methodist Women. Evelyn Roberts presided and Marilyn Ennis presented the program on Charles Wesley (Daily Record Aug. 15, 1995).
The M & W Auto Sales Inc was the CACC Business Focus of the Week. Johnny Honeycutt was pictured being congratulated by Marie Watson, Darrell Smith and Glenda Denton (Daily Record Aug. 16, 1995).
Thank you to the friend who remembered our amazing Becky Adams on her birthday with an honorarium to the Coats Museum Building Fund. Becky’s phone stayed busy at the museum on Thursday with many calls wishing her a special birthday. Thanks to Robie Butler the volunteers and visitors enjoyed a ten layer chocolate cake. She gives so much volunteer time to the museum.
Please join us on Sunday at the museum from 3 pm-on to meet Dr. Lori Moore Langdon. With her many accomplishments, she is an excellent role model for our young people from a rural community. She will be signing two of her books and we would love for our museum followers meet this amazing doctor.