Museum rendering by C Design
May 5. By Dave Yochum. The town museum is taking a few historic steps forward with plans for a multimillion-dollar renovation, a two-story addition and a membership drive. The opening is set for the summer of 2026.
Quotable
“This is more than just a renovation—it’s a community milestone,” said Woody Washam, mayor of Cornelius. “We are honoring our past while creating a space that will educate, engage, and inspire future generations of Cornelius residents.”
Mayor Woody Washam
The former Cornelius High School agriculture building, which dates back to the 1930s, is on the western side of Cornelius Elementary School and within easy walking distance of downtown and what will be the Cain Center for the Arts ceramics studios in two nearby historic houses on the other side of School Street.
Details
The Cornelius History Museum will be funded through donations and contributions; a $500,000 state grant has already been received, according to David Hodson, president of the non-profit museum board.
The total cost of the project is about $2 million, with $1 million already in-hand.
Background
David Hodson
Known as the Agriculture or “Ag” Building, it was the hub for Cornelius students learning about modern farming practices in the early 1900s when Cornelius was still largely a farming community—textile mills did not come until the early 1900s.
The museum will feature interactive exhibits, local artifacts, rotating displays, and educational programming focused on Cornelius’s agricultural roots, early settlers and economic development, as well as cultural milestones.
Details
Set to open in Summer 2026, the museum is expected to become a cultural anchor in the town’s walkable downtown district, Hodson said.
The Museum Board will soon be announcing a Membership Campaign whereby people can become members and in the Summer of 2025 a formal building renovation campaign will be announced to assist with the renovations and archiving of stories, photographs, and artifacts from community members to help bring the Museum’s exhibits to life.
Museum rendering by C Design
Such a vibrant and needed addition to our downtown.
And, to save this 1935 original building which was part of the original Cornelius High School (my mother attended) is more than heartwarming! Thanks to the CHM Board and the Historic Preservation Committee for all the hard work to make this dream come true!
Posted by Mayor Woody Washam | May 5, 2025, 1:46 pmThis will be GREAT to learn and preserve the history of Cornelius!
Posted by KT | May 5, 2025, 2:00 pmToo bad the addition isn’t complimenting to the original building. Why can’t the town do anything in restoring things without all of the modern/flashy look.
According to the sketch, provided in this post, its rendering is totally opposite of preserving a “days gone by” approach to the AG Building history.
My parents, also, attended Cornelius school in the early 30’s and would be proud that the AG bldg is still standing but would not agree with the modernization that is being rendered.
I’m very disappointed!!
Posted by Saddened | May 5, 2025, 2:14 pmMuch agreed. My family’s been in this area since 1742 and all would and are disgusted with just about everything the town has done in the last 40+ years. Ole woodys from here as well and has turned his back to erase any cornelius history up to this point. No stopping in sight. Perhaps another bar or a pot dispensery would go great on school grounds as well. Shameful.
Posted by Jeremy Robinson | May 5, 2025, 7:04 pmI respectfully request instead prioritizing a solution to the Cornelius traffic congestion. After bringing thousands and thousands of new taxpayers to the area over the years, there should be PLENTY of money to fix and widen the roads! I believe the community would well prefer this to a building renovation.
Posted by Mary Blacker | May 5, 2025, 3:26 pmWhere will parking be for this museum until the school is rebuilt? It is a traffic jam nightmare at school opening and closing every day. You can’t get through there to go anywhere east if you live around the school. The traffic backs up on School Street and the cut through.
A museum is fine in an area where there is accessibility .
Posted by Locked in | May 5, 2025, 5:40 pm