NC Governor Aycock addresses a crowd under the arbor at the annual Mocksville Masonic Picnic in the early 1900s. Masons constructed the arbor in 1899 to seat twelve hundred people under its roof. A raised stage at the front accommodates the performers and speakers.
Digital Davie shares glimpses of Davie County history through a collection of digital images of the people, places, institutions, and events that have shaped the county in the past and continue to do so today. This is a truly unique and rich resource for the study of Davie County history and culture. Placing these assets online makes them available for academic, professional, hobbyist and genealogy researchers.
Davie County Library Plays Central Role in Digital Davie Collection
Digital Davie has been a very special project for Jane S. McAllister, Interim Director of the Davie County Public Library. “We were so pleased to learn of the launch of the NC Digital Heritage Center in 2010 as it afforded the perfect avenue for us to share online so many photographs, documents, and artifacts in the history room collection of the public library for both serious and recreational pursuits,” said McAllister.
The Digital Davie online exhibit follows the release of two photographic history books published by Arcadia Publishing of South Carolina, Images of America: Davie County and Images of America: Mocksville. Those two books, plus others written by local authors, are available for sale at the public library and at a number of local retailers.
Themes and Search Tools Add Value
The Digital Davie collection currently hosts over 500 items with plans to add hundreds more. The collection can be browsed by themes like Architecture, Biography, Civil War, Communities, Pioneers, Revolutionary War, Social Life and Customs, Transportation, Occupations and more.
There is also a powerful search tool for Digital Davie that helps users zero in on information relevant to their research needs or just their curiosity. For example, a search for “Masonic Picnic” returns 38 items including pictures of Senator Sam Ervin, Governor Aycock, Governor Hoey, Jesse Helms and others that have attended this local event over the years. The first annual Masonic Picnic was held in 1884, and over the years the picnic has raised funds to support educational opportunities for local students, Davie Training School, and the Oxford Orphanage.
Digital Davie ~ A Cooperative Effort
Digital Davie is a project of the Davie County Public Library supported by the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
The North Carolina Digital Heritage Center is supported by Library Services and Technology Act funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.
Additional Resources:
Digital Davie
Davie County Public Library
NC Digital Heritage Center
State Library of North Carolina
Institute of Museum and Library Services
