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Kelly Mc: Thomas Day was – in his day – a respected furniture maker who called Caswell
County, North Carolina “home.” He disappeared from public records in 18-61. Experts believe
he died just before the Civil War began. But Thomas Day left his mark on the fine furniture
that bears his name.
Harriet Brandon/Milton Mayor – Supposedly, he made about one-third of the furniture made
in North Carolina over the time he was here.
Kelly McCullen: In an era when slavery was an economic engine, Day was a free African-American.
He operated North Carolina's largest cabinet shop in the Caswell County town of Milton.
Day's business used steam-powered machinery and a team of Freemen, white apprentices and
slaves. Fast-forward to modern times, and you'll sense local pride for Thomas Day's
legacy around Caswell County. The “Thomas Day House,” in Milton, is a self-funded,
volunteer-powered homage to the Day furniture legacy.
Jack Williams – t's gotten to be real expensive.
Kelly Mc: Because of his name?
Jack Williams – Yeah. And because of the quality of the furniture. You don't find furniture
today with the quality of this.
Kelly Mc: The museum fills the same building where Thomas Day operated his furniture making
business. It's a National Historic Landmark.
Harriet Brandon – We're working on this room in here as you can see. We, right now,
are sort of at a standstill waiting for somebody to take pity on us and give us enough money
to complete our project. It's nice to have it like this so people can see what we've
done. The first time I saw this, I said there is no way.
Sally Wallace – But everything costs so much because it has to be done a certain way.
That's why....
Kelly Mc: The key is authenticity.
Sally Wallace: Mmm.Mmm.
Kelly Mc: Thomas Day incorporated uniqueness in his furniture designs. The designs have
helped historians attempt to define Day's works from other designers.
Jack Williams – You can take it apart.
Kelly Mc: By design.
Jack Williams – That's right, by design.
Kelly Mc: So, he'd build the furniture in this room or down the hill in buildings that
aren't there anymore, delivered to your house and his team would put it together.
Kelly Mc: The Thomas Day House is the starting point for learning about Day, his furniture
and his impact on North Carolina between 18-23 and 1860.
Sally Wallace –Some tour buses do come through, but it's just a real work in progress if you
want to know the truth.
Kelly Mc: Beginning at the Thomas Day House Museum, the man's influence ripples throughout
Milton. He did not sign his works. That's made it difficult for historians to locate
more Day pieces. But, Milton historians have preserved the fact that Thomas Day built the
pews for the local Presbetyrian church.
Harriet Brandon – And he had his own bench up near the front so that people in the balcony
could look down upon him. They say he was a very handsome man and was very well liked
and a part of a lot of the things that went on in Milton.
Kelly Mc: The Thomas Day House Museum is open for public “drop-in” visits on a very
limited basis in summer. You can book an appointment, year-round, for a museum tour. There is a
small admission charge to help offset the expense of maintaining the property while
slowly improving the museum.
Kelly Mc: As destinations go, the Thomas Day House Museum makes its mark by honoring a
long-gone furniture-maker whose works appear to headed towards a much-admired and much-studied
future.