Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation

The Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation (NCCHP) was founded in 2007 to preserve and present the rich history of manufacturing, agricultural pursuits and rural crafts in the area of Granville, Massachusetts and the surrounding hill towns.   

The historical room at the museum depicts a timeline of the drum company from 1854 through the current day and the centerpiece of the exhibit is the Noble & Cooley drum that was picked up on the battlefield at Gettysburg.   The main factory area houses exhibits that include:  viewing the wood shop where the original equipment and processes employed to make Civil War drums is still used to make high end professional drums today; displays and artifacts from the manufacturing of toy drums; a 1923 Ford Noble & Cooley delivery truck; and demonstrations of the fifteen steps to create a toy drum in five minutes. 

The museum features various school and youth group tours that are age appropriate and include a "build your own drum" component where kids have an opportunity to make their own cord and ear drum.  Other tours and special event days include demonstrations of wood veneering, steam bending and wood burning - all with antique equipment that's still used today for the production of professional solid shell drums.

NCCHP presents a series of living history programs each year, including an annual Ice Harvesting event in February and four to six new programs/lectures in the spring, summer and fall.  The programs vary from historical lectures with slides and artifacts (Dan Genovese on “wicket ball, and Granville’s connection to the evolution of baseball”) to music programs (Rick Spencer singing transportation songs) as well as hands on demonstrations - all geared to bring interesting aspects of history alive to people of all ages.    Two of the program topics in 2011 will be focused on the Civil War in recognition of the sesquicentennial (presenting the names of Granville's Civil War fallen soldiers during the town Memorial Day observance and Howard Wright performing as Simply Lincoln).  See www.ncchp.org for more information.

Noble & Cooley will be re-issuing a limited number of the contract drums made for the Union Army - using the same equipment and processes that were used in the 1860's to build the original Civil War drums.  The re-issue drums are made by the same company, same family to the same specifications and with the same woods as the original drums.

In keeping with its name, NCCHP plans to become a true center for historic preservation by preparing work and display spaces for local artists and artisans.  The goal is to have potters, weavers, blacksmiths, artists, quilters, woodworkers, etc., working and displaying their craft at the Center, making the hill town cottage industries and lost arts easily accessible to the public. 

Keeping the drumbeat of history alive is the mission of the NCCHP.  Teaching successive generations about how their ancestors lived, worked and spent their leisure time in the hill towns is vital to preserving the rich history of the area.

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