Museum to house Spruce Pine’s past
Jerry Candy, Billie Herring and Roger Cornelius look at items on the old storefront that will house the Spruce Pine Museum. | Nathan Strickland/FCT
SPRUCE PINE- Members of the Spruce Pine Historical Society have been working hard to restore one of the community’s well-known historical landmarks.
The renovations of the 1940s convenient store/gas station began in mid-April and society members have worked through the heat of summer trying to get the building ready for history classes to visit this school year.
SPHS members Billie Herring, Jerry Candy and Roger Cornelius believe the landmark ties the community together and said it needed to be taken care of.
“Me and Jerry grew up here and we remember how it used to look back when we attended Spruce Pine school,” Herring said. “We had a lot of good memories in that store.”
The SPHS plans to refurbish the old building and make it look the way it did back in the 1940s.
Photo taken in November 2009 before renovations.
Candy said they plan to open the building to let history classes from the local schools come and learn the history of Spruce Pine through the old store.
“Our goal is to have the outside painted and two old gas pumps installed in front of the store to portray how the store looked in the early 1900s,” Candy said. “It will be setup more like a museum instead of being a fully operational gas station/convenience store.”
Herring said the former owner of the building now lives in Georgia and donated the building to the historical society after members explained their objectives for the landmark.
Photo taken after renovations
Herring said the outside is completely finished, but the inside really needs some work so it may be ready for viewing later in the school year.
Cornelius said the renovations to the building might persuade others to follow suit and renovate some of the older buildings around town.
Cornelius said the town would look a lot better if everyone would show a little love and care towards their properties.
All three men said everything takes funds and if it weren’t for county officials, none of this would be possible.
“We would like to thank Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, Sen. Roger Bedford and Franklin County Probate Judge Barry Moore for sticking with us and providing funds for our area,” Herring said. “It means the world to us to be fortunate enough to have good leaders who care about small communities such as ours. Spruce Pine is a proud community and we appreciate everyone who has helped keep us on the map.”
