The Rankin Museum: Hidden Jewel of Ellerbe, NC

On a recent Friday, Judy and I took one of

our trademark day trips.  Our destination was

the tiny town of Ellerbe in neighboring Richmond

County.  The main attraction was the famed

Rankin Museum, located in the most unlikely

of places.  Our visit was most rewarding.

I would recommend this museum to both adults
and families with children.  There's something for
everyone, plus a small gift shop.

Here's Dr. P. R. Rankin, Jr., whose lifelong
collections comprise the vast majority of this
museum's impressive contents.  Read historical
background at http://www.ellerbenc.com/history.html.

Dr. Rankin lived out the dreams of
many young folks.

This vintage milk bottle touts the healthy
benefits of milk.

This similar milk bottle was not in the museum.
I found it in our yard, just a few weeks ago. It
states: "A Bottle of Milk is a Bottle of Health."
Coming from a dairy family, I'm quick to agree!

Below are samples of the multitude of exhibits.

Samples from Dr. Rankin's personal library

Spinning wheel

Weaving loom and assorted antiques

This exhibit was especially interesting to me because
of a story in the Jack Tales by Richard Chase, which I
always read to my classes.  The story of "Hardy Hardhead"
in that book tells how a remarkable character helped
out-duel a witch by bouncing headfirst off a hackle 
(pictured above and below) and breaking out all the steel
teeth in it-- without batting an eye.

Not a story for the squeamish

There were many exhibits from America's wars
over more than a century.

This printing press, which students operated, was
instrumental in the Ellerbe School's international
rise to fame in the 1930's.  Its successful philosophy
of "learning by doing" attracted over 4,000 visitors
in one year.

Another exhibit that had personal meaning for
me was this one featuring a tool called a "froe."

This is also a froe-- but it wasn't in the museum.
This is one that my Daddy's granddaddy used to
split shingles for the Loyd barn.  Daddy just called
it a shingle-splitter.

Another reason I'm glad my generation came later.

A turpentine distillery

There were many displays of wildlife, both from
our region and around the world.

Dr. Rankin's medical apparatus and bag

I'm not sure, but perhaps this was a ring-toss game . . . .

I'm sure this gator is a favorite of school groups.

There were numerous display cases filled with fascinating
shells, fossils, minerals, and more.

This display demonstrates the relative size of
predator (a shark) and prey.  Another schoolkid
favorite, I'm sure. 

Do you remember the famed Tar Heel wrestler,
Andre the Giant?  His life is chronicled here.

You don't get these size boots at Shoe Show.

With the close proximity to Town Creek Indian Mound,
no wonder there's a huge exhibit of Native American artifacts.

 And no wonder we were hungry while in Ellerbe.

However, we passed up the Dixie Burger, as intriguing
as it was.  After all, we've got Carthage's Chuckwagon.

Instead, we chose Denise's Diner, and were well-pleased.
The prices were good, food really was home cooked,
and it seemed popular with the local folks.  That's always
a sure-fire indicator of where to dine!

So that is a brief look at our day trip to Ellerbe.

If you've never been there, set aside time for a visit.