The Strange Case of Raymond Hair
“A month ago he was just another student seeking a lucrative career in dentistry. Now he is a hunted man.” That crazy reversal of fortune–in January 1950–made national headlines and … Continue reading
Raleigh Hall of Fame to Honor Calvin Jones
The Raleigh Hall of Fame induction ceremony on October 3, 2016 will honor Calvin Jones for shaping the history and character of the Capital City through contributions in the fields … Continue reading
“Doctor” Tom Loses Home by Fire
On the afternoon of January 13, 1923, an out of control blaze destroyed the home of “Doctor” Tom Jeffries in Wake Forest’s northeast neighborhood. Jeffries, born a slave in Virginia, … Continue reading
Museum Holiday Card Gallery
We hope you enjoy this gallery of cards from the past several years, illustrated by local artist Shirley Matheny. And we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New … Continue reading
Plea of Mother Saves Two Bodies From Dissection
The old Wake Forest College Medical School always needed bodies for dissection–and none came with a story more sad or strange than this one. “I Know They Done Wrong, But They Were Mine,” … Continue reading
October 15, 1954 – Hurricane Hazel Hits Wake Forest
(A report published in the storm’s aftermath.) Wake Foresters listened to radios and read the day’s paper Thursday evening about the eighth lady of the season to rear up and menace … Continue reading
“Back to School” with Dr. Calvin Jones
Calvin Jones, the planter who invented the name “Wake Forest,” was a physician, educator, journalist, military strategist, and politician. But Jones was also a father and–like most fathers–he was full of good, … Continue reading
The Harricane: Land of Paradox
In February 1941, an article about the Harricane (or Harricanes as we’ve been kindly advised) appeared in the Wake Forest College literary magazine, The Student. A series of nine photographs accompanied the … Continue reading
A Dancer and a Songwriter – Fame in Wake Forest
Like an echo of the literature, music, and fashion known as the Harlem Renaissance, the African-American community in mid-20th century Wake Forest experienced a surge in creativity, intellectualism, and culture. … Continue reading
The Handsome American Pilot and the Little German Boy
The pilot is handsome in a modern way, with a smile you might see on Facebook or Instagram. Rather than part of the distant past, he could almost pass for … Continue reading
The Legacy of L. Robert Best: “Let your light shine.”
He was a headmaster straight from Central Casting–a stern, bespectacled black man from Barbados with a clipped accent, perfect manners, and a passion for equal education that would change Wake … Continue reading
A Collections Visit from WFU
Article appearing in the August 8, 2013 edition of The Wake Forest Weekly:
Driveable Destinations – Fall 2013
(CIRCA Magazine-A travel column from the Wake Forest Historical Museum) With Halloween in the air and the holiday season ahead, it’s time for a whirlwind tour of a very spooky … Continue reading
The Royall Tea Caddy
This mahogany-veneered tea caddy, with two tin-lined pigeon holes and cut-crystal bowl (added later), comes to us from the family of Wake Forest College Professor William Bailey Royall, and dates … Continue reading
Calvin Jones House Christmas Ornament
Priced at $20.00 (including tax) at the Wake Forest Historical Museum. For shipping, please send $22.00 cash or check with mailing address to: Wake Forest Historical Museum PO Box 494 … Continue reading
When all the world, at least in the South, was young.
This Civil War story from Fannie Powers Dodd, great-granddaughter of Dr. Samuel Wait and Sarah “Sally” Merriam Wait, was recently rediscovered during an overhaul of the museum’s vertical files. The … Continue reading