Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation Corp

The Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation (NCCHP) museum was founded in 2007 to preserve and present the rich history of manufacturing, agricultural pursuits and rural crafts in Granville, MA and the surrounding hill towns. 

The museum is located in the historic buildings of the Noble & Cooley toy drum factory, which was founded in 1854 by the current owner's great, great, great-grandfather, James P. Cooley.

The historic room at the museum is a timeline of the Noble & Cooley toy and military drum company from its humble beginnings in 1854 in a farmhouse kitchen through 160 years of growth and change.  The most prized artifact on display is a Noble & Cooley drum that was picked up on the battlefield at Gettysburg in 1863.   

A guided tour takes visitors from the historic room into the main factory area of the Drum Shop where they view the woodworking shop and the processes involved in building drums of yesteryear as well as current day.  Demonstration of steam bending wood for drum shells is a “wow” event for visitors of all ages.  Tours generally conclude with a demonstration of the fifteen steps to build a toy drum from raw materials to finished product – all in just five minutes.

The NCCHP museum creates educational opportunities for visitors interested in history, music, machines, art and daily life in a busy and prosperous hill town.  Various age appropriate school and youth group tours are available, including a “build your own drum” component where kids have an opportunity to make their own marching drum. 

NCCHP presents a series of living history programs each year, including a very popular annual Ice Harvesting event on the shop pond in February and four to six new programs/lectures in the spring, summer and fall.  The programs vary from historical lectures to music programs, as well as hands on demonstrations - all geared to bring interesting aspects of history alive to people of all ages.  The museum recently launched a new monthly “Movie Night at The Museum” where short films are shown featuring how things were made. 

In keeping with its name, NCCHP plans to become a true center for historic preservation by renovating some of the old post and beam factory buildings into work and display spaces for local artists and artisans. The goal is to have potters, weavers, blacksmiths, artists, quilters, woodworkers, etc., working and displaying their craft at the center, making the hill town cottage industries and lost arts easily accessible to the public. 

“Keeping the Drumbeat of History” alive is the mission of the NCCHP.   Teaching successive generations about how their ancestors lived, worked and spent their leisure time in the hill towns is vital to preserving the rich history of the area. 

Please help us preserve and grow the museum by spreading the word and asking all your friends, family, co-workers, clients, FB friends and Twitter followers to help make a difference by donating online to Noble & Cooley Center for Historic Preservation! 

Donations can be directed to cover particular special needs/projects at the museum.

Become a member - or give the gift of a membership. Individual and family memberships are available.

Already a member?  Renew your membership for 2016 online.  Consider giving the gift of membership to others for the holidays.

Donations of $75 will be directed to stabilizing the 123 year old museum buildings which desperately need new roofs, a coat of paint and 200 windows re-glazed to help protect the museum collections. 

$100 donations will support the monthly Living History museum series in 2016.

$250 donations will be directed to complete the Civil War exhibit in 2016.

$500 donations will fund the creation of new hands on exhibits to stimulate and engage children of all ages.

$750 donations will be used to hire a grant writer to help the museum secure more funding.

$1000 donations will support the purchase and installation of a wheelchair lift to make the museum  accessible to more patrons.

Thank you for your support!