Badin Museum complex features the Historic Museum, the Firehouse Museum and the Quadruplex Museum. Hours are Tuesdays from 9 am to 12 am and 1pm to 3 pm, and Sundays from 2 pm to 5 pm. 60 Falls Road, P. O. Box 516, Badin NC 28009. Tel: 704-422-6900. www.badinmuseum.org

A town’s history is best told through its people. From its inception in 1913, Badin has had its share of colorful personalities, people whose influence on the town will be long remembered. Badin Museum has honored these folks with an exhibit featuring their images and a brief history of their accomplishments. Their faces smile up at the visitor from the archival photos the museum has lovingly preserved.

Here is Johnny Palmer who brought golfing fame to his home town. There is Jim Cozart with the first Badin taxi and car rental service. And there is our own Major General, “Rudy” Rudisill pictured not far from little Clyde McCray, caretaker at Badin Clubhouse.

There are fishermen and hunters and Boy Scout masters. There’s H. M. Doerschuk, pioneer of the Hardaway Indian site, and Jim Vann for whom the Badin Library is named.

There are many more, too numerous to list here. Do yourself a favor and drop by the museum to take a look at these personalities who helped shaped the hometown they loved.

Every small town has a roster of interesting personalities and it sometimes seems Badin has more than its fair share. Badin Museum volunteers decided it was time to highlight some of these personalities and they are currently putting together a new exhibit to feature Badin’s colorful and famous, or colorful and not-so-famous people from the town’s past and present. They are working hard to have it ready for the Best of Badin Festival when it will be placed in the center cases of the main museum.

Personalities range from golfers to a Major General, and from hunters to ALCOA engineers. There’s the first Badin Taxi Service driver and the fireman who taught Badin children how to swim in Badin Lake. And there are many many more. Don’t miss this intriguing exhibit.

OOPS! Moving the Museum

On a pleasant evening in May 1999, a crowd gathered on the corner of Falls and Maple where the old Badin kindergarten sat high on steel beams. Jim Moore threw his tractor into gear and the 83-year-old building inched forward. Suddenly, one of the tiny supporting wheels collapsed. The building tilted alarmingly. The crowd gasped. Minutes ticked by as the building was jacked up, the wheel replaced and the snail’s pace progress continued.

The 15’ X 50’ one-story frame building had outgrown its usefulness to Alcoa, and the company had given it to the town on condition it was moved off Alcoa property. Its new home was to be the town park and its new title: Badin Museum.

“This is a big day,” said David Summerlin, a member of the newly-formed Badin Museum Committee and an avid collector of Badin memorabilia. “I’ve dreamed of this for a long time.”

Anne and Tom Garrison felt their emotions tug. Their relationship leading to a long and happy marriage had begun here as kindergarten children. Tom pulled out a faded photograph of himself and his twin brother, Jim, a pair of five-year-olds standing in front of the building dressed as elves. 

By the time the building was eased on to its new foundation, dusk had fallen. The final work would wait until morning.

Scouting has long been an important part of Badin’s history. With the acquisition of showcases donated by the estate of the late Bill Love, the Badin Historic Museum now has a place to display memorabilia from this part of its history.

“With some tender loving care and casters on their feet, the cases are ready to roll,” says museum chairman David Summerlin.

The timing is perfect as February 8, 2010 marks the centennial of scouting in America. Started in England in 1907-8 by General Robert Baden-Powell, and based on military scouting in the British army, the concept of scouting for boys quickly caught on and today 185 countries boast boy scout organizations. The museum is currently looking for more scouting memorabilia and is especially interested in finding a girl scout uniform from 1940 or 1950.

Badin is hoping to revitalize Troop 42, and any interested boys or girls can call Paul Hinkle at 704-422-5080. To donate memorabilia, call Badin Museum at 704-422-6900 or David Summerlin at 704-422-3713.