The North Carolina School for the Deaf Historical Museum was established in 1977 by a high school senior, Mr. Jimmy Autrey. It started as a Senior Project which became the very first museum to house a collection of Deaf arts and artifacts in NC.
The museum has always been located on the North Carolina School for the Deaf campus in Morganton. The original exhibit for the NCSD Historical Museum was a small room in the Main Building, on the main floor where the common room is - on the 2nd floor before entering the auditorium. However, the artifacts in the museum were temporarily stored in several different buildings over the next five years due to a major renovation that took place at the Main Building between 1997 and 2002. It was then that the museum finally found a permanent home - in 2003, at the former Superintendent's Residence where the first four superintendents resided.
The one-room exhibit has evolved and expanded to a full seven-room exhibition. The museum displays a historical timeline of events, starting with the NCSD's establishment in 1891. Also, it covers the timeline of the original NC Institution for the Deaf and the Blind in 1845 and as well as the NC Institution for the Colored Deaf and Blind in 1869 that was once located in Raleigh.
The Museum maintains a record of student enrollment, organizational activities, school publications, memorabilia, digital photographic images, newspapers and class books in the Archival Collection Room. Just recently, the board created a new exhibition of “classroom and vocational scenes” on the 2nd floor of the Museum.
Arranged tours (voice-interpreting service can be provided upon availability) and special events can be arranged at least a week ahead by calling
828.475.0583
.
Currently, the Officers and Board members of the Museum
are as follows:
Ex Officio & School Director - Mark Patrick
President - Jimmy Autrey
Vice President - Vacant
Secretary - Ann Chastain
Treasurer - Lawson McNally
Curator - Georganne Crowe
Local Curator - Laurie Johnston
Archivist - Ann Krohn
Board Members: Lisa R. Kennedy, Susan Houck, Joy Patterson, Dewey Umphlett, Beverly F. Woodel and Eddie Marlowe
For more information about the NCSD Historical Museum, please contact us by email -
[email protected]
or via Facebook - NC School for the Deaf Historical Museum. We currently have over 1,600 Museum friends. While this is private Facebook page, we invite you to join - and it’s free!
Returning to where Mr. Jimmy Autrey started 43 years ago as a high school senior - he now serves as the President of NC School for the Deaf Historical Museum Board.
We always return to our first loves and for many of our Alumni,
NCSD is our home.
