UDC hears history center program

The John B. Gordon Chapter 383 United Daughters of the Confederacy were presented an informative program about the 65th anniversary of the newly-named Thomasville History Center (formerly known as Thomas County Historical Museum). Thomasville History Museum Executive Director Anne McCudden presented the slide show program.

McCudden graduated from Loyola University, Chicago in 1992 with a B.A. in history. In 2002, she received her M.A. in anthropology from Florida Atlantic University. She has worked in a variety of positions within the museum field over the last 20 years. She was the director at the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, the Women’s History Park in Miami, the Children’s Museum in Boca Raton and currently serves as the executive director at the Thomas History Museum. She has also been an American Alliance of Museums accreditation peer reviewer since 2010 and an IMLS and State of Florida grant panelist since 2012.

McCudden said there are several areas of interest that the Thomasville History Center manages, such as the eight buildings on the grounds, the Lapham-Patterson House and involvement in the community. The History Center is not just about one house. She said that a committee was formed and for 16 months held discussions and meetings about bringing changes for the betterment of the Thomasville History Center. Their goal was to “bring the museum into the present.”

The Historical Society was formed in 1952 and in 1972 the museum opened. McCudden showed slides of the different rooms in the museum. She showed slides of the three War Between the States battle flags. They are: Thomasville Guards Flag, Dixie Boys Flag and the Ochlocknee Flag. They have been previously restored.

McCudden said there are 298 active members of the Thomasville Historical Society. They presented 25 programs and held three fundraisers.

After the program, chapter Historian Dianne Ponder presented a book on behalf of the John B. Gordon Chapter 383 UDC to the Thomas County Public Library in honor of McCudden.

Penny Gaskins, Fourth District director of the Georgia Division, also attended the chapter meeting. She thanked the chapter for their outstanding planning for the Fourth District Meeting held this past month.

Chapter Registrar Anita Ward presented Franci Carter, chapter member with UDC, membership papers and certificate for her granddaughter, Alexis Raean Simpson who could not attend the meeting.