It might be the wrong kind of weather outside for this kind of post, but we could use your help.
To finish our 2023 season, beginning in November, Alleghany Historical Museum will feature a new exhibit called Ghosts of Christmas Past.
While we’ve featured Christmas themes before, this is the earliest we have ever started planning.
So: Do you have old timey decorations or toys or games or stockings or children’s books, photos or greeting cards or ANYTHING having to do with the holiday that you would lend us for the exhibit? Items from our area would be even more special!
Do you have family traditions you’d share? Where did you get your tree? Did you make snow cream? Molasses cakes? Did you go hunting? Or caroling? What are your Christmas Eve memories?
Your support would be welcome and appreciated. Call and leave a message at: (336)372-2115 or email: info@ahgs.org or message us on facebook or drop us a line: PO Box 817, Sparta, NC 28675.
Your participation will surely help folks remember their own “Christmas past” and brighten their “Christmas present.”
This beautiful photo from the Harold and Elizabeth Zachary Vogler Collection was donated to the Alleghany Historical Museum by Phyllis Wood Fournel. The two ladies and their driver are on an outing in a fancy, horse-drawn, 2-seat surrey. (Leather seats, fenders and carriage lamps.) The ladies look smart in their flat, straw hats which were in fashion around 1900.
We don’t know much more about it, except that it is a rare “opalotype” photo, that is, it was printed on an opal glass plate. The fragile emulsion which holds the image on the front surface of the glass has been marred in places, sometime during its life.
The 6.5”x 8.5” plate was probably “contact printed” from a glass negative, meaning, the two pieces of glass were in face-to-face contact when it was exposed. This would result in a final print that is “right-reading” on the emulsion side, which is how it was displayed in its frame. (Other clues: The lady’s jacket buttons are on her left side as is common and the buggy whip is on the driver’s right which, also, seems pretty traditional.)
What in the world would Alleghany County have to do with 1950s-era, Chicago television?
Well, recently, Phyllis Wood Fournel brought in a large box of family papers from Henry Harold and Elizabeth Zachary Vogler of Winston Salem, North Carolina, for donation to the museum.
Mr. Vogler was grandson of the Winston jewelry store owner, William T. Vogler.
William Theodore Vogler was influential in the growing towns of Winston and Salem around the turn of the century. He was very active in the Home Moravian Church in Salem; he was one of the original stockholders of Wachovia National Bank, and he was president of the Winston-Salem Building and Loan Association. He also served as a town commissioner for Salem before its consolidation with Winston in 1913. It was only natural, therefore, that when Hugh Chatham was planning a mountain resort for prominent citizens from Winston, Salem and Elkin, William Vogler was one of the initial founders. Mr. Vogler purchased a lot from the Roaring Gap Summer Resort Company, of which he was a founder, in 1894.
Info from Vogler Cottage at Roaring Gap’s Application to the National Register of Historic Places
He built a summer cottage, there, in 1908 and called it Locust Grove Cottage. Locust Grove was a 1+1⁄2-story Queen Anne-style influenced frame cottage, that featured an expansive, wrap-around porch.
Locust Grove Cottage at Roaring Gap, from its application to the National Register.
Eventually, William’s grandson, Harold, would inherit the cottage.
Harold was a part of his family’s business, William T. Vogler & Son Jewelry Store, and Elizabeth was the Dean of Girls at Salem Academy when they were married, June 8 of 1941. He was 36 and she was 39 when they married and they had no children.
Mr. Vogler died in 1990 and she, just 3 years later, in 1993.
Locust Grove had been added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. It was demolished 4 years later in 1995.
When we opened the box and started sorting and evaluating the documents and photos, we found that a good part of the collection isn’t from Harold’s family, but that it is mostly from Elizabeth Zachary’s family, from Brevard, North Carolina.
And, the collection includes a lot of material that relates to Elizabeth’s sister, Beulah Zachary. And, oddly, there seemed to be a lot of information on (of all things) the old Kukla, Fran and Ollie, television show:
“a television show using puppets. It was created for children, but was soon watched by more adults than children. It did not have a script and was entirely ad-libbed. It was broadcast from Chicago between October 13, 1947, and August 30, 1957.”
Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television Watson-Guptill Publ
After a ten-year run in the 50s, [the show] left the air… But they were rarely out of the public eye, appearing in a short daily show on NBC, starring on Broadway, hosting The CBS Children’s Film Festival, creating a series for PBS, performing in Side by Side by Sondheim, and presenting annual live performances at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. The Kuklapolitans can also claim some important television firsts, including the first ship-to-shore telecast and the first color telecast of a network program. Burr [Tillstrom, series creator and star] was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame in 1986 for his many contributions to the medium.
http://www.kukla.tv/
After a little research we found that Beulah Zachary, born in Brevard, NC, on August 13, 1911, to William and Beulah Zachary, attended Salem College in Greensboro, and had intended to become a teacher. She began working in television in 1944, when she was hired by the Chicago-based station WKBK.
She rose in the industry to become the executive producer of Kukla, Fran & Ollie.
Playbill and program from a Thanksgiving Day, 1953, performance by the “Kuklapolitans” at the Town Hall in New York. Variety gave it a rave review.
Tragically, Miss Zachary died on February 3, 1959, when American Airlines Flight 320 crashed in the East River in New York City.
Burr Tillstrom, who created K. F. O., disclosed Wednesday that Miss Zachary departed for New York to acquire space in which she and Tillstrom planned to open a Kuklapolitan Workshop theater. Tillstrom said he would go ahead with these plans. “Beulah might have accepted many other jobs,” said Burr, “but she lived and loved Kukla, Fran, and Ollie, and she believed in their future. So she just stuck with us.” Fran Allison, who now has her own WGN-TV show, said: “No one ever worked so tirelessly or gave more to make an idea succeed than Beulah did for Kukla, Fran, and Ollie.” Tillstrom disclosed that it was Miss Zachary who insisted that Kukla, Fran, and Ollie be an ad libbed show. This accounted for much of its freshness and sparkle. “Beulah not only had great integrity and fine judgment,” said Tillstrom, “but she fostered the creative spirit.”
Excerpt from the Chicago Daily Tribune, February 5, 1959.
Have you heard about our upcoming fundraiser for the Museum?
We’re hosting a Saturday Afternoon Social, on August 19th from 11-2 at the Sparta VFW. We’ll have a Basket Raffle, a 50/50 raffle, and food and drinks available.
And, the VFW Museum will be open for tours during our event! We encourage you to bring family, friends, neighbors!
Some of the baskets you could win are pictured, below.
Some of the wonderful items we’ll be raffling are:
– Three piece hand towel set and a Calm candle. ($25 value)
From Wolfe Ridge Pet Supplies LLC – Kong Travel dog booster seat, Kong toy, Tall Tails chew toy, Water Bowl, Milk Bone Minis, and leash. ($85 value)
From The Waggin’ Train Sparta – Medium size Dog Bed, $20 gift certificate, 2 Balls, Large Kong Giraffe toy, large bag of Blue Buffalo treats, and 2 dog training books. ($95 value)
A Spot of Tea- 14pc Tea set, Twinings camomile honey vanilla tea, Twinings variety black tea, Pirouline wafers, & Honey. ($60 value)
Deluxe Movie Night- Act II Popcorn, Red Vines, Whoppers, Good & Plenty, & 4 movies. Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, The Lion King, & Alice in Wonderland ($90 value)
Disney Princess Movie Night – Act II Popcorn, Red Vines, Good & Plenty, & 3 movies. Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, & Snow White ($70 value)
A Tisket A Tasket Towels in a Basket- 6 Sunham Bath towels, 4 Sunham wash cloths, & coconut body scrub. ($160 value)
Minnie Mouse- Disney Minnie Mouse Sterling Silver & Crystal Earring gift set and 19” plush Minnie. ($120 value)
Minnie Mouse- Disney Minnie Mouse Sterling Silver & Crystal Earring gift set and 19” plush Minnie. ($120 value)
Grandma’s Journal- Book “My Grandmother’s Life” A journal with questions to get to know more about grandma’s life. ($10 value)
From Dusty Trails Outfitters– A 3 Hour Canoe, Kayak, or Tube Trip for 4 People on the New River, marshmallows, graham crackers, & Hershey’s chocolate ($175 value)
Grandpa’s Journal- Book “My Grandfather’s Life” A journal with questions to get to know more about grandpa’s life. ($10 value)
Chef’s Kitchen- 13pc Tools of the Trade Stainless Steel Cookware set. ($200 value)Belle Rocket 12pc Personal Blender ($43 value)Cooking for One!- Sedona Cast Iron 2pc Mini Skillet &Griddle set, Cuisinart bamboo slotted spatula, & The Cellar oven mitt & pot holder set. ($50 value)
New River Country Club – 2 certificates. Each for 2 rounds of golf plus cart and green fees. 4 packs of golf balls, tees, ball marker hat clips, and gloves ($180 value)
From Foley’s – – 8 pc Chicken Family Meal gift certificate and rooster plate. ($30 value) – 8 pc Chicken Family Meal gift certificate and rooster plate. ($30 value) – 8 pc Chicken Family Meal gift certificate and Rooster salt & pepper shakers. ($30 value)
Willy Wonka’s Delight- Wonka candy variety, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book, & Purple Top Hat ($40 value)
From Sparta Candle Co. – High Country Candle, Little River Soap, and a soap dish. ($50 value)
Looking Sharp- Art & Cook 25pc Cutlery set and Cutting Board. ($70 value)
A Touch of Grace – $25 gift certificate and ladies watch. ($50 value)
Baker’s Delight- 12×9 cake pan, 5 pc kitchen set, 2 pc spatula set, 8pc measuring cup set, 3 pc measuring set, 2 Betty Crocker cake mixes, 1 Duncan Hines brownie mix, and 2 tubs of Pillsbury frosting. ($30 value)
From Beautiful Creature’s Pet Grooming– Ear cleaning and Nail trim, EarthRated poop bag dispenser, Greenies dog treats, Gap heart dog toy, Pork Chomps pig ear, Fresh Dental solution,and blanket. ($70 value)
Alleghany Historical Museum Toy Shop Extravaganza! – Dominoes, Yo-yo, traditional Heart & Ball, Clothes Pin Doll Kit, Colonial Spoon Doll Kit, Handkerchief Doll Kit, Little Black Folk Doll Kit, Pages From Early American Children’s Books, The Button Book, and Gingerbread Man on a String. ($65 value)
Wild Woody’s- Vintage 1950’s Noritake Fine China Goldena pattern. Service for 6. (cups, saucers, dinner plates, and salad plates)1 cake plate, 4 extra dinner plates, & 3 extra salad plates. All nestled inside a sturdy vintage handmade basket.($75 value)
Wild Woody’s- Send in the Clowns music box and collection of 5 clown figurines. ($50 value)
Gill’s Jeans & Things- Duck Dynasty T-shirt size M & a silver fashion cuff bracelet. ($15 value)
Twin Oaks Store- Engel cooler/dry box with rod holders ($100 value)
Sawyer Family Mills- $200 gift certificate & a hand turned wooden bowl made by Jerry Brown ($240 value)
Misty Mountain- Handmade wooden Key hanger, handmade tea light 3 candle holder, handmade tie dye tank top with vinyl decal design, 2 glass bottles of Cheerwine, 2 fishing lures, incense, mini flashlight, paintable Dino toys, Pokémon, candy, 2 bouncy balls, 6 stickers, 4 jumbo Pixy Stix, and local Poet, Stephanie Ray’s book “Mermaid in the Moon”. ($85 value)
O’Reilly Auto Parts- 1 gallon O’Reilly Car wash, 5 gallon bucket, Turtle Wax Dash & Glass cleaner, Super Clean All Wheel Cleaner, 2 ok scrubbing mitts, 3pk micro fiber towels, and a cell phone holder. ($60 value)
Three Crows Metalworks- Earrings ($50 value)
Becca’s Backwoods Bean – Bodum French Press, Stove top Espresso maker, 2 mugs, cappuccino stencil, chocolate straws, and a bag of Becca’s Bradford Point Coffee. ($75 value)
Trojan Patio- 2 $10 gift certificates ($20 value)
Trojan Patio- $20 gift certificate
Trojan Patio- $20 gift certificate
Sawyer Family Mills- $200 gift certificate & a hand turned wooden bowl made by Jerry Brown ($240 value)
Corey’s Main St Barbershop- Gift Card for 3 free haircuts
Corey’s Main St Specialty Store- $20 Gift certificate
GOLDEN TICKET Hometown Oil – 50 gallons of fuel oil ($200)
We invite everyone to the Alleghany Historical Museum at 45 N. Main St. in Sparta, North Carolina for our 2023 Season Opening Day, Thursday, March 30.
The Museum will be open from 11am-3pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and admission is free.
Before anyone asks, “Where is Uncle Fred?” or “Why in the world didn’t you include Norma?” Please know that we agree! Fred and Norma SHOULD be honored along with every individual that has a connection with Alleghany. The trouble is, we’ve got a finite amount of space and limited resources and well, to be honest, we probably put the wrong person in charge of this project. (We fired that guy.)
But seriously- there’s, obviously, no way to include everyone or to list all contributions as much as we would like to. But if you know of someone who needs to be included in a future exhibit, contact us at info@ahgs.org or message this page. You can help us by sharing information, photos or items. After all, Alleghany Historical Museum only exists to share those stories and it only exists with the support and for the benefit of the entire community.
AHGS appreciates the support of the North Carolina Humanities, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed by the Society, do not necessarily represent those of North Carolina Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.
