Murphy – Officials with the town and Cherokee County Museum are putting their heads together to figure out what to do with the old downtown police headquarters.
The Murphy Police Department moved from its longtime headquarters on the bottom floor of the 1919-vintage Carnegie Library building to a reconfigured bank building on Hill Street in 2024.
It has taken Murphy police awhile to sort through, inventory and move items from the evidence locker at the old location. Now that’s mostly done, the former police headquarters doesn’t look quite as cramped as it did when it was occupied by the police force.
During a tour on Jan. 6, members of the town council and library staff toured the space, which includes a front lobby, two offices, three restrooms, full kitchen with laundry, a large meeting room and numerous closets.
The space is well heated. It was a cozy tour on a day with frigid temperatures outside.
The tour was led by Mayor Tim Radford, with several town council members and staff joined by museum Director Terrisa Carringer and museum board President Trevis Hicks.
Radford said the town hasn’t decided what to do with the space and is still considering options.
“Nothing official yet,” he said. “I wanted to give council members a chance to view to and begin pondering. I think they appreciated the presentation by the museum and saw value in their needs, but no formal decision has been made.
“I’m hoping we can put it on the February or March monthly agenda to discuss as a board and vote on at that time.”
In a letter to the council, Carringer said, “We will understand and respect whatever decision that is made in this matter, and I truly appreciate all the support the town administration and town council give the museum.”
The plans
The museum hopes to move the main entrance to the previous police department entrance and avoid using front steps. They also would move retail sales of books, jewelry, pottery, etc., to the bottom level at that new entrance.
“We would like to make on area for a research room for those doing genealogy,” according to the memo.
Other spaces would be used for storage and overstocked retail items, allowing the museum to vacate a storage unit it pays $85 per month to rent. The added space would also enable more space for Native American displays and exhibits.
“Having the entrance on bottom level same as the handicap entrance would be a major plus,” she said.
“Sometimes I am in the middle of checking someone in or on the phone when the doorbell rings. I have to go out on top porch and tell them I will be right down to let them in.
“People get upset when they have to wait on me, especially if it’s raining or cold out. It’s hard on me as well to try to maintain both levels when I get busy.”
A lower basement area is of no interest to the museum at this time, she said.
Sharing the costs
The museum could share the cost to have new wiring installed. The museum would take on any cost to renovate the area for doorways and a research room.
The museum has kept its side up since 1977. New windows and cabinets were installed upstairs along with new carpeting and displays throughout. Front doors on both levels are also on order.
Along with visiting tourists, school and history groups visit the museum throughout the year.