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Linda Berry, museum president, said the move was the vision of her late mother, Betty Carroll, who served as museum president from its original opening in 2006 until her death in 2018. “What really got the fundraising started was the Betty Carroll Memorial Fund,” she said. “We had donations, held fundraising events, and the town of Greenback appropriated $250,000. This was Mother’s dream.”

Sandra Tipton, museum treasurer, said, “This is a very exciting time for our little town. A dream come true, thanks to the town of Greenback, donations, fundraisers, memorials and the many volunteers who put in endless hours.” Board member Barbara Davis added, “Linda, Sandra and I never thought we’d see this in our lifetime.”

The new museum space is 100 by 75 feet, twice as much room as the former site next door, and contains additional storage, a conference room and a larger display area. Space is also available for genealogical or historical research with assistance from members of the Greenback Historical Society.

Berry said the displays are organized by rooms or by use. “We have a kitchen display and a bedroom display, and we have tools and farm implements,” she said, including a wagon donated by the Ragain family in February. This Studebaker farm wagon, a model built as early as 1870, had been on the Ragain farm on Morganton Road since it was purchased. The farm and the wagon were passed down from the McGill family through Florence McGill Ragain, mother of Freeman Ragain, after Florence died in October 1945. The H & C Studebaker Blacksmith Shop opened in South Bend, Ind., on Feb. 16, 1852.

Board member Jennifer Hedrick said, “We also have a colonial display and a King’s Department Store display.” King’s Department Store opened circa 1960.

Displays of the history of the Greenback Drug Store, now Greenback Diner, Greenback School and a display from the John Best store are only a few of the museum’s holdings.

The museum itself sports hardwood floors, three of the building’s original brick walls, and mahogany around the windows, which, along with the front doors, were reproduced to look like the original McCall-Kerr Hardware doors. A reception counter handcrafted by Andy McCall welcomes visitors, and a conference table handcrafted by his son, Adam McCall, is in the boardroom.

Both restrooms are wheelchair accessible.

Background

The McCall-Kerr Hardware building was donated to the town of Greenback by the late Rachel M. Ragain’s family for museum expansion. The former museum space next door, also owned by the town of Greenback, will be rented to another local business.

Work on the building began in October 2022 under the direction of General Contractor Deb Rossi. Subsequent work included installation of HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), plumbing and electrical, windows and doors reproduced to look like those authentic to the McCall-Kerr Building, outside painting, and sidewalks in front of the building.

Workmen were able to save three walls of the hardware building: the front wall facing Morganton Road, the brick wall facing Walnut Street and the wall adjoining the former museum space. The back wall was not salvageable.

The town of Greenback appropriated $250,000 for renovations to the building, which was constructed in 1917. Fundraisers held by the Greenback Heritage Museum and the Greenback Historical Society as well as donations to the Betty Carroll Memorial Fund supplied additional funds.

The Greenback Heritage Museum’s previous location is the former King’s Beauty Salon adjoining the Greenback Drug Store, now Greenback Diner, purchased by the town of Greenback at the urging of then-mayor Tom Peeler for the purpose of creating a space to house a museum. After extensive renovations and more than a year’s worth of hard labor and community donations, the Greenback Heritage Museum opened its doors on March 6, 2006, and the grand opening was March 18 and 19, 2006. Betty Carroll served as museum chairman from the opening in 2006 until her death in February 2018.