| Museums |
| Calvary Mule Day |
 |  |  |  |  |
November 6, 2010
Calvary, Georgia
Sponsored By
| Calvary Lions Club calvarylions@windstream.net |
 |  |  |  |
History Match 2008 Mule
Gazette, page 2
Last year a match was made when the
Grady County Historical Society and
the Dr. Maxwell Office Museum united.
For two years, the building that had
been used by Dr. Maxwell as his
office, and later moved to the Mule
Day Grounds, had been closed due to
its deplorable condition. The Calvary
Lions Club, in a desire to preserve the
history of the building and the memory
of the owner, set out to spruce it up
and bring it back to a condition that
would allow its reopening.
The Grady County Historical Society
has been represented at Mule Day for
the past few years and was the
perfect match to help with the
reopening. The
Society operates the Grady County
Museum and History Center and is
dedicated to preserving the history of
the county for future generations.
Together, the two allow for a stroll
back in history. At the same time, it
gives visitors a chance to check out
the complete line of publications and
other items that are for sale by the
Historical Society. On Mule Day plan
to stop
by the Maxwell Museum and meet
members of the Grady County
Historical
Society. The rest of the year you can
visit the Grady County Museum and
History Center which is located at 1
North Broad Street in Cairo.
Gazette, page 2
Last year a match was made when the
Grady County Historical Society and
the Dr. Maxwell Office Museum united.
For two years, the building that had
been used by Dr. Maxwell as his
office, and later moved to the Mule
Day Grounds, had been closed due to
its deplorable condition. The Calvary
Lions Club, in a desire to preserve the
history of the building and the memory
of the owner, set out to spruce it up
and bring it back to a condition that
would allow its reopening.
The Grady County Historical Society
has been represented at Mule Day for
the past few years and was the
perfect match to help with the
reopening. The
Society operates the Grady County
Museum and History Center and is
dedicated to preserving the history of
the county for future generations.
Together, the two allow for a stroll
back in history. At the same time, it
gives visitors a chance to check out
the complete line of publications and
other items that are for sale by the
Historical Society. On Mule Day plan
to stop
by the Maxwell Museum and meet
members of the Grady County
Historical
Society. The rest of the year you can
visit the Grady County Museum and
History Center which is located at 1
North Broad Street in Cairo.
Time Warp 2008 Mule Gazette, page 4
The Mule Museum Building was built about
1850 by Mr. J. J. Higdon on his property a
few miles north of the present location of
the building. Originally it was the Higdon
Commissary, a general store
that would have stocked goods such as
coffee, nails and metal items that would
be needed by people in the area. It offered
an opportunity for area farmers to trade
eggs, potatoes and cane syrup and sugar
for salt or fancy cloth such as gingham.
In June 1869, a post office was established
in the Higdon Commissary, with
Harrison Fairbank as postmaster. By the
1880’s, mail arrived twice weekly from
Whigham on Wednesdays and Saturdays
at mid-day. The postmaster collected
postage from the recipient when mail was
picked up. From 1869 to the present,
Calvary has had a post office and an
officially designated person in charge.
Our Mule Museum has very few items that
hint of life in those days of 1850 or
earlier. The stoves that burned wood or
coal for cooking were not the earliest
means of cooking. Until there was better
transportation to bring in the stoves,
cooking would have been done at a
fireplace or out on an open fire. The
display includes a “spider“ — an
iron skillet on legs. Originally, it had a lid
with a rim, so that hot coals placed under
the pan and on the lid could make an oven
for “baking a cake”. Generally, food was
limited to what was grown by the individual
or his neighbors.
The earliest of the photos include a few
people who lived in the area before 1850,
but most of the farm implements, as well as
the “addressograph” and the kitchen items
date from 1900 or after. However, several
years passed before electricity was
available in the area. In the years from
1880 until World War II, the Calvary area
was well known for the agricultural
products produced by the residents. Hard
work and mules were the foundation of the
prosperity of the region!
For more than 180 years, families of the
Calvary area have continued the traditions
of the community.
In recent years, we have started a “new
tradition” of having eighth grade history
students involved with the Museum. The
students select and research topics that
relate to the lifestyles of the region in
years gone by.
On Friday before Mule Day, the students
share their research by explaining what
they have learned. We’re
now calling this our “History Here Today“
program.
In 2007, the students of Mrs. Andrea
Bentley in the Whigham School provided
a time line for Grady County. This is a
much appreciated addition to the
museum collection!
If you are interested in knowing more
or volunteering to help with the museum
operation, please call Jeanette Sickel at
229-872-3260 or Sue Rodemoyer at 229-
377-6550.
The Mule Museum Building was built about
1850 by Mr. J. J. Higdon on his property a
few miles north of the present location of
the building. Originally it was the Higdon
Commissary, a general store
that would have stocked goods such as
coffee, nails and metal items that would
be needed by people in the area. It offered
an opportunity for area farmers to trade
eggs, potatoes and cane syrup and sugar
for salt or fancy cloth such as gingham.
In June 1869, a post office was established
in the Higdon Commissary, with
Harrison Fairbank as postmaster. By the
1880’s, mail arrived twice weekly from
Whigham on Wednesdays and Saturdays
at mid-day. The postmaster collected
postage from the recipient when mail was
picked up. From 1869 to the present,
Calvary has had a post office and an
officially designated person in charge.
Our Mule Museum has very few items that
hint of life in those days of 1850 or
earlier. The stoves that burned wood or
coal for cooking were not the earliest
means of cooking. Until there was better
transportation to bring in the stoves,
cooking would have been done at a
fireplace or out on an open fire. The
display includes a “spider“ — an
iron skillet on legs. Originally, it had a lid
with a rim, so that hot coals placed under
the pan and on the lid could make an oven
for “baking a cake”. Generally, food was
limited to what was grown by the individual
or his neighbors.
The earliest of the photos include a few
people who lived in the area before 1850,
but most of the farm implements, as well as
the “addressograph” and the kitchen items
date from 1900 or after. However, several
years passed before electricity was
available in the area. In the years from
1880 until World War II, the Calvary area
was well known for the agricultural
products produced by the residents. Hard
work and mules were the foundation of the
prosperity of the region!
For more than 180 years, families of the
Calvary area have continued the traditions
of the community.
In recent years, we have started a “new
tradition” of having eighth grade history
students involved with the Museum. The
students select and research topics that
relate to the lifestyles of the region in
years gone by.
On Friday before Mule Day, the students
share their research by explaining what
they have learned. We’re
now calling this our “History Here Today“
program.
In 2007, the students of Mrs. Andrea
Bentley in the Whigham School provided
a time line for Grady County. This is a
much appreciated addition to the
museum collection!
If you are interested in knowing more
or volunteering to help with the museum
operation, please call Jeanette Sickel at
229-872-3260 or Sue Rodemoyer at 229-
377-6550.
Proud to be a MAXWELL t-shirts are
on sale in our Mule Store online.
Proceeds from the sale of these shirts
will be earmarked to restore and
maintain the Dr. Maxwell Museum!
on sale in our Mule Store online.
Proceeds from the sale of these shirts
will be earmarked to restore and
maintain the Dr. Maxwell Museum!