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ARCHIVAL EXCELLENCE – In this little town of ours, friends, this place we love, nestled by the river (to borrow a much-used description), there is something that is truly special.

It’s the History Room at the Brown Library. Actually, that’s not the full name, but for the following it will suffice.

This repository of diverse collections of just about anything related to this area and its people would astonish almost anyone due to its size. Believe me.

If you watch, or have ever watched the television program “Finding Your Roots,” this will give you a good sense of our own archival treasure. And what a treasure it is. Informed sources say only some universities in our state surpass ours in size and scope.

While few, if any, truly outstanding projects are the results of the labors of just one individual, our History Room would not exist at this time, perhaps ever, were it not for a young man (early 30’s is young to most of us) named Stephen Farrell.

He is probably second to none in what he knows about this place and its people, past and present.

And, get this, now, he is not from here, never lived here until very recently. He did, however, marry into a family of prominence that extends way, way back. How serendipitous for us.

Stephen grew up in Aberdeen. No, not Scotland, but in southeastern North Carolina. The Sandhills.

This enterprising young man began work at the Brown Library in 2020, and the rest, as they say, is history. Literally.

Sometime give the library a call, and they can arrange a time for you to see just what it is that I’m so impressed by and thankful for.

What a real gift old Ben Franklin gave us with the concept of libraries available to everyone.

Sad to say a lot of folks never use a library. So it goes.

Peace.