November 29, 2024 Coats Museum News
Yesterday’s Thanksgiving dinner marked the 404th year that Americans have observed that tradition with its turkey, bread dressing, potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie. The first harvest dinner was supposedly celebrated between the Wampanoag people and Pilgrims of the English colony in 1621.The American holiday is rich in legend and symbolism. The abundance of traditional Thanksgiving food year round and the commercialization of other events in the fall season have taken some of the spark of the holiday that our earlier ancestors so enjoyed. We should be truly thankful of the many blessings we have as Americans. Are we?
This I do know. A special thank you went to H.A. Turlington, Jr., Tony Pope, Rupert Parrish, Godfrey Beasley, James Grimes, Carsie Denning and Gail Pope from the Coats Museum Committee. Brick and Harnett County Heritage books were on sale at the Coats Museum. The year was 1995 and the restoration of the old classrooms of 1914 was nearing completion and the dedication was being planned for Farmers Day in October.
Miss Melissa Matthews, daughter of Billy and Joyce Matthews, had won the title of “Young Miss Greater Raleigh.” She had also won the Photogenic and Talent awards. Wonder how many pageant titles beautiful and talented Melissa did win during her pageant years.
I also know that Kelly Stone and Patsy Matthews had both received a diamond ring during Christmas of 1994. That had to be joyous time for the young ladies but for some it was not such a happy Christmas season because they were in the hospital when the New Year arrived. Holly Dennis, Weldon Beasley, Lula Martin, James Dupree, and Ray Stancil were ill (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1995).
The Coats Town Board selected Bob Hedrick to replace Frances Avery on the board for Frances to become the mayor. The forty-four Hedrick had lived in Coats the past seven years. Town Manager Clenton Smith reported that only three families had applied for the Habitat Humanity Project. The board also acted on Ronnie Stewart’s application to add 30 more mini-storage units on the west side of Railroad Street. The board unanimously approved the permit.
The board had a discussion for a long period on the rotation call of wrecker companies used in Coats. Six companies were on the rotation list. In that same January 13, 1995 edition of the Daily Record Mr. and Mrs. James Grimes had announced the engagement of their daughter Cheri Grimes to marry Lt. Eric Sauer in the Moanalua Garden in Honolulu. Cheri served as a Neonatal Unit Nurse at Tripier Hospital and Army Medical Center in Honolulu.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Wright, Sr. were honored with a reception for their 50th wedding anniversary at the Howard House in Dunn. Their children- Grant Wright, Nancy Wright and Angela Jones hosted the event. Mrs. Wright was Coats native and the daughter of A.K. Gunter, longtime Train Depot Agent for the DS Railroad (Daily Record Jan. 16, 1995).
Keith Parrish was named to the Senate Tobacco Advisory Group. He was currently president of the N.C. Tobacco Growers Association (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1995).
Kris Williams was named USAG-NC Gymnastic Champion at the Stanly County Competition in Albemarle where 50 girls from throughout the state participated. Kris placed first in five categories. She attended the Cary School of Gymnastics. John and Rhonda Williams were the proud parents and rightly so of Kris.
Another young Coats student was worthy of mention. Brad Butler was picked by the Dunn-Erwin Rotary to be Student of the Week. Brad was a senior at Triton where he was involved in many extracurricular activities. Brad planned to enter Campbell University in the Pre-Med program. Brad had the goal to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. Gary and Julia Danenburg Butler of Coats are his parents (Daily Record Jan. 24, 1995).
Tomorrow is a big day at the Coats Museum. Vice Chairman Lenny Parker and the volunteers have worked tirelessly for a Christmas Party to show their appreciation for the overwhelming support of the museum through gifting and loaning items to the museum and for the giving of financial support to help not only to operate the museum but also to help it grow.
Last year at the Appreciation Gala, my cancer treatment was playing havoc on my body and I did not properly greet and thank all the wonderful people who showed up to remember H.L. This year the museum folks have worked just as hard to make the Heritage Square and the museum Christmas beautiful and food inviting-See you tomorrow from 2-4 on the Coats Heritage at the museums. This year we are missing three former board members-Patsy Avery, Ted Penny and Gerri Honeycutt who all died in 2024.
Yesterday’s Thanksgiving dinner marked the 404th year that Americans have observed that tradition with its turkey, bread dressing, potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie. The first harvest dinner was supposedly celebrated between the Wampanoag people and Pilgrims of the English colony in 1621.The American holiday is rich in legend and symbolism. The abundance of traditional Thanksgiving food year round and the commercialization of other events in the fall season have taken some of the spark of the holiday that our earlier ancestors so enjoyed. We should be truly thankful of the many blessings we have as Americans. Are we?
This I do know. A special thank you went to H.A. Turlington, Jr., Tony Pope, Rupert Parrish, Godfrey Beasley, James Grimes, Carsie Denning and Gail Pope from the Coats Museum Committee. Brick and Harnett County Heritage books were on sale at the Coats Museum. The year was 1995 and the restoration of the old classrooms of 1914 was nearing completion and the dedication was being planned for Farmers Day in October.
Miss Melissa Matthews, daughter of Billy and Joyce Matthews, had won the title of “Young Miss Greater Raleigh.” She had also won the Photogenic and Talent awards. Wonder how many pageant titles beautiful and talented Melissa did win during her pageant years.
I also know that Kelly Stone and Patsy Matthews had both received a diamond ring during Christmas of 1994. That had to be joyous time for the young ladies but for some it was not such a happy Christmas season because they were in the hospital when the New Year arrived. Holly Dennis, Weldon Beasley, Lula Martin, James Dupree, and Ray Stancil were ill (Daily Record Jan. 12, 1995).
The Coats Town Board selected Bob Hedrick to replace Frances Avery on the board for Frances to become the mayor. The forty-four Hedrick had lived in Coats the past seven years. Town Manager Clenton Smith reported that only three families had applied for the Habitat Humanity Project. The board also acted on Ronnie Stewart’s application to add 30 more mini-storage units on the west side of Railroad Street. The board unanimously approved the permit.
The board had a discussion for a long period on the rotation call of wrecker companies used in Coats. Six companies were on the rotation list. In that same January 13, 1995 edition of the Daily Record Mr. and Mrs. James Grimes had announced the engagement of their daughter Cheri Grimes to marry Lt. Eric Sauer in the Moanalua Garden in Honolulu. Cheri served as a Neonatal Unit Nurse at Tripier Hospital and Army Medical Center in Honolulu.
Mr. and Mrs. Mahlon Wright, Sr. were honored with a reception for their 50th wedding anniversary at the Howard House in Dunn. Their children- Grant Wright, Nancy Wright and Angela Jones hosted the event. Mrs. Wright was Coats native and the daughter of A.K. Gunter, longtime Train Depot Agent for the DS Railroad (Daily Record Jan. 16, 1995).
Keith Parrish was named to the Senate Tobacco Advisory Group. He was currently president of the N.C. Tobacco Growers Association (Daily Record Jan. 19, 1995).
Kris Williams was named USAG-NC Gymnastic Champion at the Stanly County Competition in Albemarle where 50 girls from throughout the state participated. Kris placed first in five categories. She attended the Cary School of Gymnastics. John and Rhonda Williams were the proud parents and rightly so of Kris.
Another young Coats student was worthy of mention. Brad Butler was picked by the Dunn-Erwin Rotary to be Student of the Week. Brad was a senior at Triton where he was involved in many extracurricular activities. Brad planned to enter Campbell University in the Pre-Med program. Brad had the goal to attend medical school and become a pediatrician. Gary and Julia Danenburg Butler of Coats are his parents (Daily Record Jan. 24, 1995).
Tomorrow is a big day at the Coats Museum. Vice Chairman Lenny Parker and the volunteers have worked tirelessly for a Christmas Party to show their appreciation for the overwhelming support of the museum through gifting and loaning items to the museum and for the giving of financial support to help not only to operate the museum but also to help it grow.
Last year at the Appreciation Gala, my cancer treatment was playing havoc on my body and I did not properly greet and thank all the wonderful people who showed up to remember H.L. This year the museum folks have worked just as hard to make the Heritage Square and the museum Christmas beautiful and food inviting-See you tomorrow from 2-4 on the Coats Heritage at the museums. This year we are missing three former board members-Patsy Avery, Ted Penny and Gerri Honeycutt who all died in 2024.