Randolph County Heritage Museum receives largest donation ever

The Randolph County Heritage Museum has received its largest donation in the organization’s history.

Don Cox, a long-time supporter of the museum, donated more than $150,000 in memory of Ruth Ann Cox, who passed away on November 7, 2023, Rodney Harris, RCHM President said. Don and Ruth Ann Cox were married for 66 years.

The donation will allow the museum to complete the expansion into the second floor, to make needed repairs, and to establish a long-term sustainability fund to benefit the museum in the future.

The Ruth Ann Cox Agriculture and Rural Life gallery will preserve the agricultural history of Randolph County and highlight the county’s rural way of life through exhibits such as the rural kitchen, cotton cultivation, agriculture, the Shemwell Country Store, Joe Peters Store, the B.F. Bigger exhibit and more.

This space will also house the Randolph County military exhibit dedicated to the men and women from the county who have served.

“Mr. Cox has always supported the mission of the museum, but this gift will be transformative.” Construction will begin soon, and the museum hopes to open the second floor this fall. The museum will remain open during construction,” Harris said.

The Randolph County Heritage Museum was founded in 2006 and will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year. The museum has no paid employees and relies on volunteers and donors to fulfill its mission.

The museum is committed to preserving the history and heritage of Randolph County by not only preserving artifacts, documents, family papers, and church and business records but also by tying historical events and happenings in the county to the nation’s broader historical fabric.