The NCCHP—Noble and Cooley Center for Historic Preservation—Museum at the Drum Factory, 42 Water Street, Granville is open for tours on the second and fourth Sundays of the month from noon to 3 p.m. Join us for an informative guided visit to the local factory that started as a toy manufacturer and went on to produce drums for the Civil War, two US Presidents and many well-known modern drummers as well. If you have a group of eight or more and our Sunday schedule doesn’t fit your needs, please email us. We will do our best to accommodate you for a minimum charge of $40. Add a trip to the Drum Shop on your list of things to see and do when friends and relatives visit.
The Living History program scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 14 is titled Now and Then. It is a retrospective featuring the current process used to create professional drums and just how that came to be from the very humble beginnings of a toy drum company founded in 1854.
The program starts at 6:30 p.m. with a short clip followed by discussion, and musings, by three direct descendants of James P. Cooley as we hit the highlights of the growing company along the timeline of history. This is living history at its best as gleaned from family diaries, albums and Noble and Cooley company records. Come join the fun. Light refreshments will be served after the program.
Museum tours are $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12. Living History programs are free to museum members and freewill donations ($5–$10) from others are appreciated to help defray museum expenses. The Living History programs are sponsored in part by a grant from the Granville Cultural Council.