Events
Learn about the rich history of Orange County by attending one of our educational workshops and programs
February
Talks for the 250th Anniversary of our Country
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Join the Orange County Historical Museum to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a year-long series of talks discussing the founding of our country.
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The series of talks will begin by discussing the foundational documents that shaped America, starting with the Declaration of Independence and the theory and context behind it and ending with the Constitution.
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These first four talks will be held at the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church at 102 W. Tryon Street. All talks are free to attend and no registration is required.
About the Speakers
Courtney Smith began her professional career teaching US Government and World Geography in the Richmond, VA metro area. She then created and managed a specialty toy store in Lewisburg, WV. There, she served on numerous nonprofit boards and assisted with many community programs and initiatives. This service led to her becoming the Executive Director of the Greenbrier Valley Community Foundation, an organization dedicated to ensuring that every local nonprofit had the financial and educational resources they needed. After returning to school for a Master's in Public History, she moved to Hillsborough in February 2020 and became the Exhibits and Programs Coordinator for the Orange County Historical Museum and gives talks around the state to civic groups and historical societies. Smith is also a writer of historical fiction. Nine of her plays have been produced and her three novels have all received excellent reviews by Kirkus Reviews. ​​​
Charles Plambeck was a Managing Director of Deutsche Bank and Citigroup in London and New York before turning to legal scholarship and teaching. Prior to his banking career, he was an official in the U.S. Treasury Department and worked in private law practice in Washington DC. He is currently an Adjunct Professor of International Taxation at the UNC School of Law, and researches North Carolina constitutional history. His most recent publication focuses on the 750-year pedigree of the right to free elections in North Carolina. He is a graduate of UNC with both a BA in Economics and International Relations and a JD in from the School of Law.​​
March 14
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Behind every great man...
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Hillsborough is extremely proud to be the site of the grave of North Carolina’s greatest patriot, William Hooper, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. In fact, the town has been so proud of this site that when Guilford Courthouse arranged to have Mr. Hooper’s body exhumed and re-interred in their battlefield park, town leaders supposedly negotiated a compromise where some of his body and the original marker would be returned to Hillsborough.
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However, another famous Hooper lived on Tryon Street and is buried in the Old Town Cemetery: Anne Hooper, William’s wife. Anne was as involved in Revolutionary politics as a woman of her time could be. Not only did she support her husband by maintaining their farm and caring for their children so he could go to Philadelphia for the Continental Congresses, she also wrote letters to the governor and other political figures in attempts to influence policies.
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At the time of her death, Anne was living in the house (two doors down from the Museum) known today as the Nash-Hooper House. Accordingly, she was most certainly buried either with her husband or beside him. This placement was – and still is – the standard. This site in the Old Town Cemetery is also the resting spot of their grandson. Orange County historian Mary Claire Engstrom maintained that the property belonged to the Hoopers and not the town in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Yet, no marker or monument exists in the OTC to commemorate her life.
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We will remedy this oversight on March 14.
Representatives from the national Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Sheryll Albert, a local descendant of the Hoopers, and local historians will make presentations. Refreshments will be provided by local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution. And a wreath will be laid at the burial site.​​​
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March
Talks for the 250th Anniversary of our Country
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Join the Orange County Historical Museum to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a year-long series of talks discussing the founding of our country. We continue our series of talks by taking a closer look at some of the people that shaped our early nation.
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On March 21st, Susannah Haury, a doctoral candidate in History at the University of North Carolina, will present “The Hart of the Struggle: Southern Women on the Revolution’s Frontier”. This presentation delves into the legends of extraordinary Southern women during the American Revolution and explores what these larger-than-life figures can tell us about the real, lived experiences of everyday women in the fight for American independence.
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On March 28, be prepared to learn "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About John Adams but Were Afraid to Ask." American History scholar Thierry Murad will discuss John Adams and his contributions to the early history of our country.
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These first four talks will be held at the Hillsborough Presbyterian Church at 102 W. Tryon Street. All talks are free to attend and no registration is required.​
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About the Speakers
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​Susannah Haury is a doctoral candidate in History at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is advised by Dr. Kathleen DuVal and Dr. Wayne Lee. She holds an MA in History from the College of Charleston and The Citadel joint program. Her dissertation research examines militiamen and their communities in the Revolutionary North Carolina backcountry, focusing on issues of agency and identity among citizens and combatants alike.
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Thierry Murad is Senior Procurement Manager for AJC International, a global food and logistics provider and one of the world’s largest refrigerated food handlers. 2026 marks his 45th year in international trade. In his spare time, Thierry has pursued an active interest in early American books and prints, with specific focus in the writings of and about ‘founding father,’ John Adams. A few years ago, he decided to return to school in the evenings. So, now, at the young age of 65.., Thierry is scheduled to receive a BA in History from Virginia Tech this coming May, graduating Summa Cum Laude. In 2024 he was inducted into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, at Virginia Tech. Also, in 2025, Virginia Tech’s Department of History awarded Thierry the James & Martha Banks Award, “in recognition of an exceptional academic record and commitment to the study of American History.” Thierry will soon also be inducted, this May, into Virginia Tech’s chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. His award-winning research paper, “John Adams’ Diplomatic Tenure in the Netherlands, 1780-1782,” addressed a period in Adams’ life not typically discussed or written about.
Thierry and his wife Lisa are proud sponsors of the Orange County Historical Museum, Hillsborough, NC, and the Adams Presidential Center, Quincy, MA. Thierry is also a member of the American Historical Association.
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If you have a question about an event, please use our contact form.
You may also call 919-732-2201.