Museum Wins Award

The High Point Museum was recently awarded the by Robert James Award for Preservation Excellence by the North Carolina Preservation Consortium (NCPC). This award was in recognition of its efforts to preserve the Little Red Schoolhouse.

"We are pleased to accept this award on behalf of everyone who contributed to the preservation of the Little Red Schoolhouse," Edith Brady, Museum Director, said. "I hate to think how much further the building would have deteriorated without the leadership of the City Council in authorizing half the funding for this project and the High Point Historical Society for taking charge of the private fundraising for the other half. In the end more than 200 individuals contributed to the capital campaign in addition to countless others who donated change in coin drives and a few more who donated in-kind materials and services. It's nice to live in a community that understands we don't have to abandon our past to welcome our future. I greatly admire the generosity of preserving this piece of history as a gift to future High Pointers we will never know."

The Little Red Schoolhouse was designed by noted High Point architect Louis Voorhees in 1930 as an annex to Ray Street School to serve an overflow of first graders. For thirty years it served as a one-room schoolhouse for students until a fire consumed the main school building in 1961. The Little Red Schoolhouse found new life as the home for High Point's first museum in December 1964. The building later served as a flower and garden shop, seamstress shop, training site for High Point Civil Defense, candle shop, and Christian book store. It was designated a Guilford County Landmark in 1988.

"Already children are discovering this special place and returning each month for more," Brady said. "While we still only have it open three-days per month, we are working on developing new programs and partnerships to eventually open it on a more regular basis. Later in the spring we'll be recruiting community volunteers to help us."

The North Carolina Preservation Consortium (NCPC) is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization dedicated to the preservation of collections in libraries, museums, archives, and historic sites; monuments, memorials, and outdoor art; archaeological sites and collections; historic and cultural architecture; and private collections of family treasures. NCPC supports proper care and handling; storage and environmental control; disaster preparedness; conservation; and collection security. NCPC is committed to preserving tangible and intangible heritage for present and future generations.

Little Little Red Schoolhouse Open

10 a.m. to Noon - Free - Ages 0 to 12

Thursday, December 19—Time to Craft! origami candy canes
Saturday, December 28—Quilts
Wednesday, January 8 - Let's Play!
Thursday, January 16 - Time to Craft! Paper snowflakes
Saturday, January 25 - Chinese New Year

While visiting and touring the Little Red Schoolhouse be sure to shop in the Museum Store for your Little Red souvenir including note cards and ornaments.

Scottish Hogmany & New Year Traditions

Saturday, December 28, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Historical Park - Hoggatt House

Although Scots did not celebrate Christmas in the 18th century, they DID - and still DO - celebrate Hogmanay (New Years Eve) in a very big way! Join our Ulster Scots/Lowlander family in early North Carolina as they prepare for end of the year celebrations. Scottish fare will be featured with recipes for Whiskey Cake with Whiskey Sauce. Enjoy Scottish music and practice "First Footing" to get ready for the Big Celebration beginning Dec 31st. Hear the story of Robert Burns' "Auld Lang Syne" (ca. 1788) and take home a copy of the lyrics with you! Presented by Ruth and Frans Verbunt.
Free and open to the public.

Make a Hearty Meal in the Historical Park

Saturday, January 18
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Make a Hearty Meal
Come watch our costumed interpreters make a winter’s meal of soup with baked bread and homemade butter in the Hoggatt House. All ages welcome to this free, drop-in event.

Blacksmith Demonstration
Saturdays, Jan. 11 &25
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Come watch our costumed blacksmith in action as he crafts various iron pieces. All ages welcome. FREE. Drop-in

Heritage Research Center Programs

Monday, January 13, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
High Point Public Library - Morgan Community Room
Documenting Revolutionary War Service in North Carolina
North Carolinians were deeply engaged in the Revolutionary struggle on both sides. Larry Cates shares how you can determine whether your ancestor was a Patriot or a Tory. Also learn a bit more about the deeply divisive nature of this war and the toll it exacted on the Carolinas.

Monday, January 27, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
High Point Public Library - Morgan Community Room
What's in Name? A Story of Race, Struggle and Family
Kimberly Mozingo will discuss the origin of her surname in colonial Virginia. Her family began with a 17th-century African of Creole origin. Since then, like many other "white" Americans, descendants have lost all sense of their mixed racial identity. She'll tell us about how she discovered this ancestor and the impact the information had on descendants.