10/06/2026
𝙀𝙭𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩! Each week we will be highlighting one of the incredible Orange County residents featured in our current special exhibit "United We Stand." This week we are highlighting Earl McKee, Orange County Commissioner.
McKee is of Scotch-Irish descent and can trace his family back to William McKee, born 1747 and listed as “died in Orange County” after 1822. The farm he lives on is still owned by family members. McKee graduated from the Orange County school system in 1970 and then NC State with an Associate Degree in Agriculture. Returning to the farm, McKee carried on the tradition of raising field crops, beef cows, and to***co with his brother until 2001.
Farming was a rewarding career for McKee because, aside from enjoying “watching things grow,” he also appreciated the freedom that farming afforded. He said, “I decided what to do and how I wanted to it, with the understanding that the success or failure of each enterprise depended on my efforts. I accepted the outcome, good or bad, as being part of the circle of life.” McKee semi-retired after a long farming career but quickly discovered that he did not enjoy retirement. After a short search, he took a job with Summit Engineering Services and has worked for the past eight years as a construction inspector, primarily overseeing
environmental compliance for contractors building roads.
In 2010, McKee successfully ran for the District 2 position on the Orange County Board of Commissioners. In that role, he has worked to find solutions to the varied and complex issues facing the county. Understanding the tremendous responsibility of this position, McKee diligently educates himself on a variety of topics to ensure an understanding of the issues.
To learn more about Earl and the other individuals featured in this exhibit, please visit the museum to view the "United We Stand Exhibit" and make sure to pick up a free exhibit catalogue.
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