Sometimes North Carolina gets pummeled in the news. Don’t be fooled. We are not a state moving backwards. We are, in fact, a state that is looking backwards to understand what’s shaped us and better grasp what is to come. Nothing captures the essence of Raleigh’s momentum and sense of posterity better than the City of Raleigh Museum located downtown at 220 Fayetteville Street. My fair city continues to top all sorts of lists for the best place to live – the best place to raise a family, the best place to meet men – I could go on. To fully embrace and appreciate this kind of publicity, we must understand, appreciate, and celebrate the history of our city. This museum is truly a Raleigh gem. It’s free to go get a taste of what built our city. Director Ernest Dollar gave the boys and me a fantastic tour one morning. When Bird and Deal saw Mac Daddy at the end of the day they fired facts at him, their minds little machine guns pelting out new knowledge. We spent the afternoon meandering along Fayetteville Street, stopping to read every historic marker.
We first learned of the Pope House on our visit to City of Raleigh Museum. We arranged to meet Josh there the following weekend. He’s docent extraordinaire and gave us what amounted to a private tour on a rainy Saturday. This is some remarkable Raleigh history that has been squirreled away for too long, and I am glad to see it finally coming up for air. Read more in the article I penned for this month’s Walter magazine.
The City of Raleigh Museum will exhibit never before seen photographs from the Pope House Feb. 3 – 28. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Black History Month.
Historic marker at the entrance to the home.
Original name marking the front door
Dr. Pope and his family
The family piano, music books, and embroidered sampler
Dr. Pope’s medical degree
The family’s phone, a mark of wealth and status at the time
Photos and personal belongings of Evelyn and Ruth Pope, Dr. Pope’s daughters
Sampling of personal care items left in the home…see some familiar brands?
Just one of the toys belonging to the Pope daughters…love this packaging!
A treasure trove of notebooks, journals, and books!
You’ll see an entire wardrobe full of hats, gloves, shoes, and dresses. Drool worthy indeed.
View from upstairs…notice the gorgeous newel post
Evelyn and Ruth Pope as girls. Those porcelain dolls are still in the home.
Iconic petal shaped stained glass window in the entry hall