Raeford Hoke Museum is a non-profit organization with the purpose of preserving the history, culture and artifacts from Raeford and Hoke County in North Carolina. Located at 111 South Highland Street in Raeford.
The museum features an eclectic blend of commercial buildings and houses that reflect the architecture found in prosperous railroad towns of south-central North Carolina in the 1910s.
The McLauchlin-McFadyen House
Raeford, North Carolina lies nestled away in a rural region amidst fragrant pine forests and sprawling farms, boasting old-world charm and filled with fragrant magnolia trees that decorate front lawns.
Raeford-Hoke Museum was established in 2002 with the mission of preserving local culture and artifacts, such as McLauchlin-McFadyen House. Today, this non-profit organization also includes 1921 fire truck, emergency and agricultural equipment as well as dollhouse, one-room schoolhouse and country store collections.
The Parker-Ray House is the newest addition to the museum and was generously donated and relocated by Louis and Willa Ray’s descendants. Restoration work is underway now and it will soon open to visitors.
The Parker-Ray House
David Parker Ray worked as a car mechanic by day; but at night, he became an indefatigable sadist who tortured up to 60 women over 40 years – most notoriously as The Toy Box Killer. Ray utilized his homemade torture dungeon with whips, chains, saws, spreader bars, sex toys and spreader bars as well as electricity-generating equipment in order to rape, beat and mutilate his victims.
Ray used phenobarbital and sodium pentothal to sedate his victims before torturing them, becoming known to the world when one managed to escape his clutches and escape Ray and Cynthia Hendy’s horrifying crimes.
The Emergency Service Museum
A museum housed within a former joint fire, police and ambulance station offers visitors a vast collection of historical vehicles. Engaging hands-on galleries encourage learning through play with fire engine rides and driving simulators for fire trucks as well as dressing-up and climb-on cars – plus there is also a Victorian police cell and items from Sheffield Blitz displayed!
The museum features an historic running fleet that can be brought out for events or school visits; it’s also an ideal setting for film and TV shoots! Additionally, this museum houses exhibits as well as its library and research center.
The museum store sells gifts suitable for everyone in the family, including toy firetrucks for children and t-shirts for dads. Additionally, this store hosts several educational activities, such as story time on Wednesdays and Fire Safety Fun on Fridays.
The Doll House
The Doll House is a colonial-style home that serves both as a museum and rental facility, located near Parker-Ray House in Hoke County and meant to preserve history and culture of Hoke County. Furthermore, this venue often serves as host for community events or performances.
The play opens with Nora Helmer entering her living room carrying multiple packages and being welcomed by Torvald, her loving and playful husband.
The play’s central themes of gender roles and appearance versus reality found resonance with European audiences during nineteenth-century Europe, when women struggled for greater education opportunities and equality within society. Its themes resonated widely within feminism and social reform circles of that period; furthermore, it was twice adapted for film: Julie Harris and Christopher Plummer co-starred in 1959 version and Jane Fonda co-starred in 1973 version respectively.
The School House
The School House offers educational activities and events that foster respect, dignity, and responsibility among its students. Their American Emergent Curriculum (AEC) employs a multi-disciplinary approach to learning by incorporating standards into its curriculum while emphasizing skills critical for success such as communication, kindness, self-advocacy and public speaking.
The museum strives to preserve local culture and artifacts through two colonial homes that host events, tours and educational opportunities for the local community. 111 South Highland Street in Raeford offers all this.
The museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of Hoke County and its surrounding area’s rich history and heritage. Staffed with professional historians as well as volunteers who assist with preservation efforts, its primary goal is awareness.
The Country Store
This country store offers an expansive range of products designed to improve daily life. Along with traditional grocery items, such as home furnishings and folk art pieces, gifts, as well as pancake, muffin and other mixes; syrups; jams & jellies; barbecue sauces, salsas & salad dressings are available here as well.
At our Country store you can purchase fresh produce, deli meats and cheeses, kitchen goods, wood porch furniture and garden equipment – plus more! In addition, the store features bakery offerings, bulk foods and classic old-time store collections of oddments and pieces!
Raeford-Hoke Museum strives to raise public awareness and preserve the history, culture, and artifacts of Hoke County through multiple homes and exhibits located here, as well as its country store – everything you need for an enjoyable stay is available here!
The Genealogy Room
Genealogists often spend long days and nights researching family histories, so having a dedicated workspace is vital. Whether that means using an entire spare room as bill-paying central, or just dedicating one corner to being bill-paying central, having an organized system in place can keep you focused and productive.
Maureen Taylor of Photo Consultant utilizes an L-shaped desk designed to fit into her Victorian home’s bay window bay window nook for maximum workspace and an attractive focal point. Her desktop remains clean and organized; books are organized according to category, region and research type on it.
Library customers who wish to explore family or local history are welcome to use the Genealogy Room; however, they must adhere to its Policies. Some form of identification will be needed in order to gain entry, while reference staff will be on hand to help locate relevant resources.
