Museum of the Albemarle

10/15/2026

🪡🧵Threads of Tradition: A Closer Look at Masonic Regalia - Masonic Apron Worn by William Crawford Dawson circa 1872.

Dawson was a member of Pasquotank Lodge No. 103 A. F. & A. M. and a charter member of Eureka Lodge No. 317 A. F. & A. M. In 2015, Eureka Lodge No. 317 donated the funds to conserve the apron, which is currently on display in the Museum’s permanent exhibit "Our Story: Life in the Albemarle." . Dawson, born in Elizabeth City in 1831, attended local schools and became the city’s first photographer. During the Civil War, Dawson served with the “State Guards,” later called Company L, 17th North Carolina Regiment.

📸 Museum of the Albemarle Collection

10/15/2026

🐎🏊‍♀️🚴‍♂️🏍️🏎️🛻🏁Be sure to stop in and check out our newest exhibit: RACE WHAT YOU BRING: RACING IN NORTHEAST NC!

‼️This exhibit closes in February 2029. 📌FREE and open to the public!

10/14/2026

🧐⌛️Who remembers when Main Street & McMorrine Street echoed with the bustle of Belk-Tyler Company?

📸Belk-Tyler Company building, circa 1930, corner of Main Street and McMorrine Street. (Now location of Vector SCP & Nestlerode Orthopedic Rehabilitation.)

📸Courtesy UNC-Chapel Hill, Durwood Barbour Collection of NC Postcards (P077), NC Collection Photographic Archives, Wilson Library

10/14/2026

👀‼️🥧🍪🧁 It's ! Life is short. Eat the cookie. Order the pie. Have the cupcake and stop in and check out our small case display "Into the Mix: Baking in Northeast NC"

This small display includes objects dating up to the 1940s from the Museum’s collection. The art of baking and the traditions that are related can evoke memories of the past and be a way of creating new experiences. On display through August of 2027.

📸Images are courtesy of:
Elizabeth City State University, Lisa Gwaltney, Rob Sershen, Kathryn Smith, Somerset Place State Historic Site, and Lynwood Winslow

10/14/2026

‼👀 If you missed last week's History for Lunch on Thomas Day: Cabinetmaker & Free Person of Color, click here to watch.

Thomas Day was a freeborn Black artisan renowned for his work in No...

10/13/2026

🥳Happy 251st Birthday to the U.S. Navy! ⚓ Wishing all sailors safe voyages and fair winds. Born on October 13, 1775, from a single 10-gun vessel with 80 crew members, the Navy’s legacy of honor, courage, and commitment has stood strong for over two and a half centuries. Thank you for your service! 🇺🇸

📸Commissioning SC1286, July 21, 1943, Elizabeth City Shipyard, Riverside Avenue, Elizabeth City, NC

10/13/2026

🍵Whisking Up a Little Yaupon Tea Magic circa 1910!

Made from the yaupon holly bush (Ilex vomitoria Ait), this drink has been used by American Indians ffor thousands of years. Early European settlers in the Southeast quickly adopted its use as an alternative to tea. It appeared in 18th-century markets of England, where it was called “Carolina” tea, and in France, where the drink had the name “Appalachina.” Despite an initial popularity in Europe, broad consumption of yaupon tea ceased both in the United States and abroad by the late 19th century. It made a brief return to the North Carolina coast during World War II as a substitute for tea and coffee and still can be purchased as a novelty drink.

📸Courtesy State Archives of NC

10/12/2026

It's

The state of North Carolina is situated on the ancestral homelands of many American Indian tribes who have lived in this place, cared for these lands, and traveled throughout the region for thousands of years. Tribes spoke different variants of Algonquian, Iroquoian, and Siouan languages. We honor them as the first stewards of this place and acknowledge, with sorrow and remorse, the violent history of their dispossession and forced removal. We respectfully acknowledge the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw Siouan and honor the enduring presence, vibrance, and diversity of contemporary Indigenous communities.

Courtesy of Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission
Learn more here: https://aihc.nc.gov/resources/american-indian-heritage-month

10/10/2026

📓🎒✏️🍂 Fall For Learning with DNCR!

Crisp air, crunchy leaves, and sharp minds. Fall ushers in the shift from Back-to-School chaos to focused routine. DNCR is ready to help teachers encourage students to Fall for Learning with new and inspiring educational resources for History, Nature, Art, and Culture.

Please join us at the following upcoming educational program in October - curated by our Education Team of Noah Janis and Lilly Cartwright (pictured here):

🎃👻Take It, Make It: Halloween Fun and Treats on Saturday, October 24th from 1–3 p.m. Stop by the museum for a treat—not a trick!—and pick up a free Take It, Make It packet to celebrate Halloween. You’ll find at-home activities and learning resources to get you ready for the spooky day. While supplies last.

🤝We’re excited to partner with you this year to make learning hands on, engaging, and full of discovery!

NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources