The Carteret County Museum of History and Art houses an interesting collection of Carteret County artifacts and an excellent historical research library. Located at 100 Wallace Drive in Morehead City, next to the Crystal Coast Civic Center, the yellow church building with the big anchor out front has been on this site since 1985.

The museum building has a history every bit as interesting as the artifacts inside, dating back to 1907 when it served as Camp Glenn School. Built by Henry Clay Lockhart, William Clyde Lockhart and Asa Elijah Gaskins, it was first known as the "Carolina City School House." From 1910 until July 7, 1913, it was known as the "Hollywood School House," a name derived from the many holly trees that grew nearby. In 1913, the school was renamed the "Camp Glenn School House."

In 1918, the Methodist Society bought the building and moved it across the railroad tracks to where the present-day Wendy's restaurant is located on Arendell Street. It then became the Camp Glenn Methodist Church. Additional rooms were added to the one-room school house in 1945. The structure served as the Methodist Church until 1962.

The building was then rented out to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In 1964, Donald and Joyce Clark purchased the property and used the building as a flea mall. In 1985, Philip Mantz of Washington acquired the property and offered the building to the Carteret County Historical Society free of charge if the organization would move the building. The society then moved the building to its present location on Wallace Road and the doors have been open to the public free of charge since that time.

The museum is open 1-4pm Tuesday-Saturday. Members of the Carteret County Historical Society volunteer as docents or tour guides, run the gift shop, and assist visitors using the research materials in the library.

The research library, in addition to providing materials which document and interpret the museum collections, contains the best collection of basic Civil War materials in eastern North Carolina and an especially notable genealogy collection. Researchers come from far and wide to use the library which is open to the public at no charge.

The museum's gift shop offers unique gifts for children and adults in addition to books on a wide variety of subjects. For information on the Carteret County Historical Society and the Carteret County Museum of History and Art, call 252-247-7533 (email: cchs@clis.com).

« Return to Attractions

Story & photo courtesy of nccoast.com