PENNEY FARMS – At a ceremony last week, town and Clay County officials opened the Penney Farms Historic Museum for business.

The museum is in the former Penney Farms Volunteer Fire Department building on Clark Avenue. The fire station closed in 2011. The museum stores founder J.C. Penney’s efforts to bring homesteaders from other parts of the country to the farm and their lives once they settled and items they used.

Last fall, some of the items were on the floor, in boxes or on tables for a soft opening, but as the crowd passed through last week, old pictures, ledgers, tools and clothes adorned the walls. A large aerial still photo of the town in the late-1920s shows the houses on an orderly grid. There is a section of the museum dedicated to New Hope, a nearby Black community.

“We got it done,” Penney Farms Grant Writer Cathie Parrott said.

The Rev. Mark Davies told the crowd the building is a testament of what a previous generation has done for the future. He referenced Penney’s Golden Rule stores and what they stood for.

“May all who enter it explore its memories and strengthen their resolve for our children and grandchildren like what our mothers and fathers have done for us,” Davies said.

Town Manager David Cooper said the county, town council and private donations completed the project.

“I hope when you enter this museum you see the efforts made, enjoy the displays and take part of the town of Penney Farms with you when you leave,” Cooper said.

County Commissioner Mike Cella lauded the efforts of County Tourism Development Director Kimberley Morgan. He repeated Penney’s saying, “I do not believe in excuses. I believe in hard work as the prime solvent of life’s problems.”

“I can tell you David Cooper and Cathie Parrott are the personification of that quote,” Cella said.

Former County Commissioner Gayward Hendry sang “Amazing Grace.” He said museums are important because they remind people where they come from.

“It’s a place to give historical perspective, when otherwise we’re just floating around on the water,” Hendry said.

County Commissioner Kristen Burke said the museum was an excellent opportunity to teach younger generations. County Manager Howard Wanamaker said the town has stayed true to Penney’s vision.

“We think it’s very important we recognize that and celebrate this historic museum,” Wanamaker said.