Help Preserve the History of Cornelius

The Cornelius History Museum is launching a capital campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to complete construction and renovation of its new facility at the historic Ag Building on School Street in downtown Cornelius.

The museum is nearly halfway there, raising $925,000 to date through a combination of state grants and individual donations.

Design is completed and early site work is already underway. Building permits have been approved, interior demolition is done, and new windows were installed this summer. The contractor is currently working on the HVAC and fire prevention systems.

Construction is funded through the end of the year, but organizers hope a successful capital campaign during the remainder of 2026 will allow them to complete construction in one phase rather than starting and stopping as funds are donated over a longer period.

Board Chair David Hodson, a local businessperson and real estate agent focused on serving military and first responder families, is overseeing fundraising efforts and construction of the museum, along with a board of directors.

“This capital campaign will be crucial to securing the remaining funds so we can complete construction uninterrupted,” said Hodson. “Once the construction is fully funded, we’re excited to begin working on how to preserve and present our town’s history in the museum.”

Exhibits

The changing landscape of Cornelius and the recent passing of lifelong residents such as Miriam Smith Whisenut and Jack Conard — two longtime keepers of Cornelius history — have accelerated the focus on preserving local heritage.

Their artifacts and memoirs, as well as many other items the museum is collecting, are expected to be a focal point of the museum.

Duke Energy is planning an exhibit that will use technology such as augmented reality to tell the history of Lake Norman, taking visitors on a journey through the lands that once surrounded the Catawba River, the farms that developed in the 1800s and, eventually, the clearing of the land and flooding of Lake Norman in the early 1960s.

Categories of Giving

The museum’s campaign includes naming rights for individuals or organizations whose contributions will be permanently recognized for helping make the facility possible.

Those opportunities include a presenting partnership for the entire facility and a naming partnership for the new wing being built on the south side of the Ag Building.

Additional giving levels include leadership donations up to $25,000, with recognition corresponding to the level of support.

The museum also is developing a donor program that will be unveiled in the future to help fund operations.

Museum board member Woody Washam, a former four-term mayor who was born in Cornelius, has witnessed many changes to the area in his 75 years.

“We are at a crucial moment,” he said. “If preserving the history of our town is important to your family or your business, we hope you’ll contact us to find out how you can help.”

Visit CorneliusHistoryMuseum.org to learn more about the museum.