Deb Malewski
Contributing Writer

(Deb Malewski/TCJ – The grand opening of the new, long anticipated elevator at the Courthouse Square Museum was held June 5 with major donor Richard Trumley doing the ribbon-cutting honors.)

What began as an ambitious vision became a reality on June 5 when Courthouse Square Museum in Charlotte recognized the donors whose generosity helped fund a nearly $500,000 elevator project in the historic 1885 courthouse. 

During a ribbon-cutting ceremony, supporters gathered to celebrate not only a new addition to the landmark building, but also a shared commitment to preserving local history while making it accessible to everyone.

“I’m sure my very beautiful wife, Bev, was smiling tonight,” said Richard Trumley after the dedication of the elevator to the “loving memory of Beverly Trumley.” Trumley is a World War II veteran and was the principal donor behind the elevator project. Trumley also presented the museum with an additional check that evening, bringing his total contribution to more than $300,000. Other donors recognized during the ceremony included the Joe Pray family, John Hotchkiss, and Will Pitylak, along with many others from the community.

Trumley also paid tribute to the late Edward Morey, whose efforts in the mid-1970s helped save the courthouse from demolition. After Eaton County moved its governmental offices to the new courthouse on Independence Boulevard in 1976, officials debated whether the aging building should be razed. According to Trumley, Morey almost single-handedly ensured its survival, traveling to Washington, D.C., to oversee the courthouse’s nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The successful designation protected the building and paved the way for its future as a museum, preserving an important piece of Eaton County history for generations to come.

“The historic building would be all lawn without him,” Trumley said.

Morey’s sons, Lance and Gary, traveled across the country to attend the event.

“Dad would be so proud. It’s grown so much more than he ever expected,” Lance Morey said. They brought their father’s military uniforms to add to the collection at the museum. Morey was a US Army veteran of both World War II and the Korean War. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel before retiring.

Julie Kimmer, former manager of Courthouse Square and the driving force behind the project, declared, “I will be perfectly honest. I didn’t think we’d ever be here.”

Rod Weaver, Courthouse Square Board president, praised Kimmer for the “amazing job” she did in both fundraising and overseeing the installation of the elevator. There were many ups and downs during the project, he said, but Kimmer helped ensure everything stayed on track in the historic building.

Cody Newman, the architect from Driven Design came up with a “simple” elevator, one that was less expensive and that is installed on the exterior of the building to avoid damaging any of the historic features inside the building. The community stepped up and contributed to the efforts.

All three floors of the building are now fully ADA accessible. Weddings and other public events are frequently held in the restored third-floor courtroom, which can now be enjoyed by visitors of all abilities.

Plan a visit by checking out the museum’s Facebook page or the website at csamuseum.net. The museum is located at 100 West Lawrence. Call 517-543-6999 for information.