The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-12-30
NORTH CAROLINA'S NEW
HALL OF STATE HISTORY
Colonel Fred Olds Writes Interestingly of the Coiiec=
ton of Relics Already Placed in this
Noble Institution.

high, with root OF pollSned pine, is Wen
lighted and admirably adapted for the
display Of articles which will along ali
lines illustrate the history Of the State. For
fully 90 years the writer has hoped for
such q hall, a place to show what the
State has done; to make an exhibit alike
pleasing and instructive, and Which would
be susceptible of development only limit
ed by space. In 1888 the late Governor
Scales. writing to NE, said: Il enclose
a letter asking for some relics to be sent
TO another State. [ told the writer you
were ahead of him, and that you wanted
all he had or could get for North Caro-
lima. I hope this Will give you a fresh
stimulus in p~erpetuating, by collecting
relics and otherwise, the name and fame
of the old State, which | know is so
dear to you"
The collecting has gone on and the
state Museum has done well it's part
along the line marked out. The Hall Of
History is q fact, these 20 days, as the
first work in it began December 1st. 1t
is handsomely furnished. The cases are
of North Carolina oak, cherry and wal
nut. Of fine design, and each has a triple
locking device, is dust and moth proof,
SO there is perfect safety for all articles
III 0iiILE4 vi NLltI iA@S~A 11A 'ASJ @|NJ
be. SO far about 20 cases have been
filled. There is on hand material enough
to fill a few more. The work will be
pushed. There is the promise OF many
valuable articles, which will be not only
safe there, but as parts of such a col
lection will be of the most value to every
person in the State. Now that the Hall
of History is opened It will grow, no
doubt rapidly, SO far as its collections
are concerned. All who see it are graft
fed and pleased. It is the writer's plan
to secure from England arms and armor
of the time of Sir Walter Raleigh. For
a sum which is really small all these
Invaluable relics of that grand period
can be secured, genuine beyond pe~ad-
venture. It is an occasion for some public
spirited North Carolinian by a gift Of
money to have these articles placed in
the Hall of History as q personal me-
mortal of the donor. 1t is hoped that this
statement will attract the attention OF
some one among the many in the State
who can easily make such q gift, and who
will correspond with the writer.
The first cases in the collection are
filled with relics Of the Indians. illus
trating their wars and their social life.
One case shows the development Of the
stone axe and the tomahawk from the
rudest implement possible down to the
iron tonahawk which the Indian
bought from the white traders, and
with which, by the way, some of his
deadliest work was done. The Indian
discarded as soon as he could his own
manufactures for those of the whites
and thus armed fought the "pale faces"
There are numbers of the round and
discoidal stones which the Indians used
in their games, stones we'll polished and
shaped, which they used in dressing
skins, and stone knives which they used
in skinning and cutting up animals.
There are leaf-shaped implements. many
of which certainly appear to have been
spear-heads. There are ceremonial
stones, one very large, or soap-stone.
The axes and tomahawks are not of very
hard stone: the discoidal stones are
mainly of quartz or granite and no doubt
most OF these were found water-worn.
The collection Of arrow-heads is very
complete, illustrating all the vari-
ties Of make and material. from the
crystal quartz to the flint. They are
white, red. brown and slate colored.
There are also spear-points. There are
War-arrows as we'll as those used in kill
ing animals, birds and fish.
In one case is the skeleton of an In
clan, found in a mound in Wilkes coun-
tE, and in the same case are articles in
great variety taken from an Indian
mound near Raleigh. There are arrow
points, tomahawks, beads, fragments of
pottery, a dogs skull, deer's horn points,
etc. There are beads from several
mounds, and these illustrate in one case
rude carving on she'll Or bone; while in
another instance the beads are like a
string OF white coral. The pottery is
OF two kinds, soap-stone and clay, the
latter stamped on the outside with corn
GODS, so as to give a criss-cross effect.
One Of these Indian cases is devoted
to implements used in social life, includ-
ing a clay jar eighteen inches in height;
one CT the most perfect in existence.
in this care are soapstonc pots of a
large size, a lamp of baked
clay, with a rude neck and
head thereon: pipes, Of all kinds.
nearly all of soap-stone: hammers,
polfshers, pestles, one Of the latter Of
wood; a mortar used in beating corn for
homIny; ornaments Of bored stone, not q
lew OF which must have been worn at the
neck. There are also implements used
in making bow-strings round and smooth.
in this case, by way of contrast, are
shown modern articles made by the
North Carolina Cherokee Indians: wood
en- spoons, pots, vases, jars and pipes.
some OF "hlch are made along the lines
OF ordinary American articles of the
KIND and show no rudeness of design OF
workmanship.
mere is quite a jump in the filled
cases to the period when the whites ap-
pcared ana, as is their won't, took charge
OF affairs. The idea is to arrange ex-
hlbits in a way c~hronologically, though
this is necessarily difficult, and many
re-arrangcmcnts will be necessary. II
fact, a collection Of this kind is neve,
finished. Work Oh it has to be perpetual
In a case is the oldest will known ir
the State: that of John Trueblood. OF
the "Province of Albemarle,' dated
May 7, 1892. It is in quaint text and
equally quaint language. It begins
thus: "Albenarle. In the name of Co.
amen. |, John Trueblood, being sicl
and weak, doc make this my Taste viii
and testament as folloWeth: Imprirnus
give INTO nv FOyiDo wifn A1poc r-,,,o