New roof for Wm. Carter Farm Museum coming courtesy of United Way

The United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties presented a check for $120,000 Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, to Eastern Arizona Museum and Historical Society to repair the roof of the Wm. Carter Farm Museum building. Pictured are, from left, Pima Mayor Brian Paull; Denise Benton and Manda Patterson with the United Way; and museum board members Karrie Wright, Edres Barney, James Bryce and Darwin Weech. - David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

PIMA — Look for a new wing to open soon at Eastern Arizona Museum and Historical Society.

On Thursday, United Way presented a check for $120,000 to the museum board to repair the roof on the Wm. Carter Farm Museum.

Darwin Weech, with the museum board, said the plan is to preserve as many of the existing wood beams while replacing the roof.

“This will be a great venue for all kinds of community events,” Weech said. “We have our Heritage Days every year and we host it here out in the yard, but it’ll be a great venue for that.”

The building was constructed in 1914 as a service station, offering car and tractor repair as well as gasoline.

Meanwhile, William Carter owned the blacksmith shop around the corner. When the service station came up for sale, Carter’s daughter, Wilma Carter Rhinehart, purchased the building and donated it to the museum with the caveat that it be named for her father.

Members of the Eastern Arizona Museum and Historical Society take the United Way on a tour of the Wm. Carter Farm Museum, following a grant presentation to help the museum replace the roof. Pictured are, from left, museum board members James Bryce and Karrie Wright, Denise Benton with the United Way, and museum board member Edres Barney.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

For the past five years, the Wm. Carter Farm Museum has served as storage and the site of the annual Fright at the Museum Haunted House.

Entering its sixth year, the Fright at the Museum is one of the biggest fund-raisers for the museum each year. This year’s haunted house will take place Oct. 24-26, from 7-9 p.m. each day, plus Halloween night, Oct. 31, from 7-9 p.m.

No-scare tours — with the lights on and no live actors — will be available Oct. 25-26, from 10 a.m. to noon each day.

Admission is $5 per person.

The United Way of Graham and Greenlee Counties makes grants to nonprofit, educational and governmental organizations thanks to donations from Freeport-McMoRan and Freeport employees; employees of the City of Safford, Town of Thatcher and Graham County; and individual donors.

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