LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Recognize Brown for work at Chieftain’s, Ridge home
by MARY ELENA KIRK, Rome
Nov 20, 2012 | 2153 views | 2 2 comments | 18 18 recommendations | email to a friend | print
IT WAS A SAD DAY on Nov. 2, when Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home changed forever as soon as Debby Brown lost her job as Programs Director owing to a lack of funds and a new vision for the museum.

For 12 years Debby wore many hats as she educated and entertained students, our community, and countless out of town visitors. Debby’s knowledge and understanding of the Cherokee people, their history, and the Major Ridge Home is unsurpassed.

Her uniqueness, creativity and dedication were evident to all who talked to her and toured the museum. With her willingness to share and her characteristic enthusiasm it is easy to understand why so many people considered Debby the heart and soul of Chieftains.

At the end of November, the 1969 members of the Junior Service League of Rome will be honored and thanked for saving Major Ridge’s former home and converting it into Chieftains Museum. Let’s also recognize and thank Debby Brown for breathing life into the museum and for her many years of selfless dedication to the museum, the Cherokee, their history and our community.

As Chieftains bids farewell to Debby, I wish the Board of Directors success with the renovations and new vision for the museum/Major Ridge Home. Unfortunately, with the heart and soul of the museum gone it runs the risk of becoming like many other museums, nothing more than a pristine building housing artifacts.

Debby leaves behind some very big shoes to fill.

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oasispam
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November 20, 2012
As a relative newcomer to Rome (we moved here from Michigan) and a recent first time visitor to the Museum, I was surprised to see this comment about Debby Brown. I chatted with Debby just a few weeks ago during my visit about the background of the museum and its recent struggles with funding. Her exuberance and love of the topic of the centrality of this area to the history of the shameful Native American "removal" movement in US history certainly brought the visit to life in a way that just wandering through the rooms and artifacts would not have done. From what I can tell, the Major Ridge story and museum are an incredibly UNDER-emphasized historical asset to this area. Yes, the "glories" of the Civil War battles and such provide popular fodder for Civil War buff tourists ... and the Trail of Tears story evidently can't compete, as it seems to be almost ignored by the community--it doesn't paint quite the same glorious past, I guess. But the cautionary lessons it could provide, for ourselves and our children and grandchildren, may well be far more important than which side won at Chickamauga and other area battle sites. I hope that Debby's departure doesn't spell an even more obscure future for the Major Ridge museum than it already seems to have had.
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BridgeOut
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November 22, 2012
I very much agree with the out of towner's assessment of Ms. Brown's love of the Museum and her charismatic presentation of the Ridge Story. Rome has never been known for using their natural resources (History) as a credit to the town. She will be missed and I predict that the new vision will lead to the closing of the Museum or at least a walk around with no leadership.

Now to the Civil battles and glories, The city fathers have seen fit to completely ignore the most important part of this country's internal history to satisfy a select few. I would guess that the only money the City has spent concerning the Civil War was to remove the beautiful statues known all over the South. Rome had the best and some liberal politician had it all moved to what was the end the horse's behind of the City. All in the name of political expediency. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
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