By Edmee CR Hasler
Frances Ferguson, executive director at the Salem Museum & Historical Society, sat back in her chair, a mix of nostalgia and pride gleaming in her eyes. After dedicating seven and a half years to the museum, the time has come for her to pass the torch. The decision to leave had been bittersweet, but Ferguson feels a sense of relief knowing the museum is in capable hands.
“I have legal pads full of things that I need to tell him or show him,” she admitted, a hint of the immense responsibility she felt. Ferguson is talking about Garrett Channell, the new Executive Director.
“It’s a long list,” Ferguson replied, her voice tinged with both exhaustion and determination. “There’s a whole lot that goes on, especially behind the scenes—the financial things, the fundraising things that are very necessary. But there are some exhibits that I still want to polish up and tweak a little bit. I want to make sure that everything is ready to hand over, that I’ve given him this role in a good position, in a good shape.”
Channell nodded in understanding.
Ferguson chuckled. “Oh my goodness. There’s a grant that needs to be done, some renewal, membership letters that need to go out. There are some things that happen all the time that I need to transition over. And, I don’t know. I mean, there’s website updates, exhibit updates, introducing him to people…
Ferguson came to the museum in January of 2017 and has seen many changes since then.
“Yes, I really have loved it. This has meant a lot to me to be here. I’ve been in the Roanoke Valley’s cultural community for 25 years in various places, and this was coming home for me. I’m from Salem and grew up in Salem. The people who founded this museum were my village—they helped raise me. I was good friends with their kids. I ate a lot of pancakes at their breakfast table. And here I am in this museum, which was their baby. Most of them have passed, but it’s been a real honor and privilege to take care of what meant so much to them. They built this amazing facility and museum for a community our size. It’s remarkable,” Ferguson recounted.
Before coming back to Salem Ferguson resided in other places, “I lived in DC and Baltimore for a bit. Boy, did that make me appreciate Salem. This is just such a great place to raise a family. Everything you could want to do is here, but it’s not a struggle. You can park, you can get somewhere in 20 minutes. People are friendly, and visitors always comment on how nice people are here,” Ferguson said.
Ferguson started out as the executive director. “I’ve always been the executive director. Alex, who was already here when I arrived, had been a part-time person for a good bit. The first thing I did was make him full time. Now, I’m here to support Garrett and Hunter as much as I can. These two young men have done amazing things. They work so hard, they’re smart, and they’ve got great ideas. I just want to make sure they have all the tools to fly.”
Ferguson sighed, tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re going to make me cry. I wasn’t planning on leaving this soon. I was expecting to stay about another year. But I’m not well, and I’m losing capability and functionality all the time. It stinks. But I feel so much better now that Garrett and Hunter are on board. They’re both super smart, fun, hardworking, and know their history. Garrett especially brings a lot of professionalism from his master’s program at Harvard. I’ll still be here to help if they have questions, but having the two of them in place makes me feel a ton better.”
“That’s good. You’re the star,” her colleague said, smiling warmly. Ferguson said, “Well, that’s all I have,” Ferguson smiled, knowing she has left a lasting impact on the museum and the community she loves so dearly.
