Chatham

Chatham County Historical Association, Inc.
Chatham Historical Museum
The Chatham County Historical Association Museum seeks to preserve and communicate the history of Chatham County, NC, through the collection, exhibition, and interpretation of historical artifacts, manuscripts, and images, as well as through educational programming, community outreach, and preservation projects. Among items in the permanent collection are handmade bricks from the former store and post office at St. Lawrence, an iron mortar and pestle used by Dr. Hanner, a letter written by Governor Charles Manly, a set of letters written by members of the Hadley family during the Civil War and another set sent from Indiana in the 1840s, a bowler hat owned by Judge Walter Siler, tapes from concerts given for the Pittsboro Arts Council, artifacts from Chatham Mills, bound volumes of several early years of the Chatham Record, and an original copy of the Ramsey 1870 map of Chatham County.

Jordan Lake Educational State Forest
Jordan Lake Educational State Forest seeks to teach children and adults about the complex, interdependent ecosystems which make up a forest and which can be managed for a multitude of uses. At the Forest, visitors can enjoy educational hiking trails and programs on the environment and nature, as well as recreational activities. The Forest is home to a wide variety of wildlife including birds of prey, deer, songbirds, flying squirrels, and beavers. Permanent collections of forestry equipment and machinery incuding a helicopter are exhibed along the trails.

Wren Memorial Library (Central North Carolina Regional Library System)
Wren Memorial Library Local History/Genealogy Collection
The Local History/Genealogy Collection at Wren Memorial Library seeks to provide researchers with resources for the study of Chatham County local and family history. Of particular interest are the Katherine B. Rees vertical files and those of the Chatham Historical Association.

North Carolina Railroad Museum and New Hope Valley Railway
The North Carolina Railroad Museum and New Hope Valley Railway together form an outdoor interactive experience in which children and adults can learn about trains and railroad history. Features include several historic train engines, restored cabooses of various ages, a mail car used in the local area, and an exhibit car displaying a variety of railroad memorabilia and historic artifacts. An excursion train also runs each weekend carrying passengers on a tour of the beautiful wooded countryside of Chatham and Wake counties.

Pittsboro Memorial Library (Central North Carolina Regional Library System)
Pittsboro Memorial Library North Carolina Collection
The special collection at Pittsboro Memorial Library contains a small collection of non-circulating reference material on Chatham County, the surrounding area, and North Carolina in general.