As I drove to Newberry for the first time from my hometown of Asheville, N.C. to interview for the position of executive director at the Newberry Museum, I encountered a sturdy-looking green sign alerting me that I was traveling in the right direction: “Newberry County: A Place To Visit, A Place To Live.”
It wasn’t until I got offered the executive director position and accepted the job that I learned of the other, official slogan for Newberry: “The City of Friendly Folks.”
Since settling into my work, I’ve come to learn a few other catchphrases for the area, like “only in Newberry” and “Newberry is the center of the universe.” However, none have quite stuck with me like that first one – “a place to visit, a place to live.”
As a native southerner, I am no newcomer to hospitality and perennial friendliness; my own folks have never met a stranger and raised me the same way. However, during my first few days at the museum, I started to realize that Newberrians take southern hospitality very seriously. I was showered with gifts and gestures of kindness, and made to feel at home almost immediately upon my arrival. I have been in Newberry for a little over a month, and I can absolutely say that it’s both a place to visit and enjoy, as well as a place to live and put down roots. As the wife of one of our museum board members puts it, “Newberry is a hometown.”
As Ernest Shealy, curator extraordinaire, and I work to assemble exhibits, catalogue items, and accept donations from Newberrians, the motto of “a place to visit, a place to live” seems to permeate throughout. We aim to capitalize on the concept of heritage tourism – put plainly, we want both natives and first-time visitors to learn about the County’s vibrant history, while also feeling motivated to create their own legacy here in Newberry.
By showcasing the nuanced, layered relationship between the County and College, we hope that both Newberrians and guests alike will feel that this special area and its deep history is fitting for a brief sojourn, or a lifelong exploration.
Through the preservation and presentation of all forms of history, from wartime legacies to record-breaking athletic feats and Newberry notables who dedicated their lives to public service and the arts, it’s my hope that everyone who encounters the museum will identify with an aspect that makes Newberry feel like home – if only for their visit.
I want to genuinely thank everyone who has reached out with encouraging words, support, and kindness during my transition into the role as executive director here at the museum. If I can show museumgoers half the amount of welcoming I have received, I will call it a job well done.
If you are interested in donating items to the museum, either financially or via artifacts, or are willing to donate your time by volunteering, please contact me at director@thenewberrymuseum.com or reach out via phone at (803) 597-5215.