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With no observable marks to chart its progress, to commemorate its nuance and grandeur, history passes away, unremembered and unknown … lost.

In 1997, from outside a small frame building, originally tapped in 1920 to accommodate Badin kindergartners, then later a rent office, David Summerlin cast an observ­able mark that would grow into the Town of Badin’s rich trove of recorded history, revealed to all who wish to visit.
That building, stationed initially at the intersection of Falls Road and Maple Street, was to become home to the Badin Historic Museum. But first, it would need to be acquired, loaded onto a heavy duty truck trailer and moved.
It would be municipal property on municipal land, but Summerlin, the town’s first Badin Histo­ric Museum president (and chief exhibit curator) largely supervised the effort in much the same way he supervised other efforts he was near.

In addition to the general logistical implications of lifting a building from its foundation and relo­cating it to the town’s central business district, there was of course Murphy’s Law. Always sure he would win that particular face-off, Summerlin nearly wit­nessed the building roll off the trailer and crash to the ground, but deft equipment handling staved off disaster. To some observers, the save was a tes­tament to a talented truck driver; to Sum­merlin, it was a testament to his choice of driver. They were, of course, both correct.
Once placed and seated at the corner of Falls Road and Pine Street, the former school room turned commercial hut, was declared “the museum building.”
A museum though, is little more than a box until filled with exhibits to chronicle the lives and times of a place and its people. To that end, dona­tions poured in from residents, former building owner Alcoa and museum board members of the newly minted 501(c)3 Badin Historic Museum, Inc.
Descriptions and artifacts, including Hardaway Site spear points, BSA Scouting uniforms, images of French bypass tunnels and Narrows Dam con­struction, local civic champions such as Rotarians, Lions, Masons and others, filled the little building’s display cases to capacity.
Content was provided by descendants of former residents and Alcoa employees, and it was pro­vided from Summerlin’s own personal collection. He spent many years curating, collecting and dealing in all manner of antiques, collectibles and rarities, often with local co­hort, and fellow collector extraordi­naire, Jerry Hall.
At times, he re­galed listeners with tales of what he called “junque,” a portmanteau of “junk” and “an­tique” that stretched a sly smile across his face with every mention.
As time passed, the little museum box was filled, and new space was needed for other historic items, not to mention the town itself is a historic treasure to be documented and exalted.
So spurred the purchase and retrofitting of the Badin Quadruplex Museum, a neighboring Falls Road property and original end unit outfitted with period accurate 1913-1920s era décor and accoutre­ments.
But still more followed, so across the alley from quadruplex museum the Badin Fire­house Museum was constructed to be home to expanded and re­worked exhibits from the original building, along with the town’s 1937 American Le’France fire truck, retired from all duty but annual Christmas parade rounds.
Now aptly described as the Badin Museum Com­plex, it’s clear, Summerlin never lost sight of pres­ervation or progress. He saw nuance and grandeur. In fact, those who knew him may question whether he actually ac­knowledged a difference between the two.
In that regard, the Town of Badin is fortunate to have had so many salt-of-the-earth people to cham­pion it through the years, and equally if not more fortunate to have had a man of conviction like Summerlin to cham­pion it so proudly to so many people for an entire lifetime.
Badin Historic Museum, Inc. will sail on, and row strongly forward with its volunteer members. Those who remember a time before the local mu­seum complex will know it truly took a village to make it all happen, and they will know it was always David Summerlin relentlessly hammer­ing away at the drum to pace progress. He made an indelible mark. His work, his accomplish­ments and his unmistakable way, will be long re­membered.
Thank you, David, for always loving Badin, and for a lifetime spent sharing it with others.

Badin Town Manager Jay Almond originally wrote this piece for the Badin Villager newsletter. David Summerlin died Sept. 23 at age 87.