Known for years as simply the Woody house for the family it was built, the house became the eighth structure of the Person County Museum of History’s campus dedicated in September 2013 as The Curtis E. Long Memorial House.  

We honor a loyal son of Person County as well as to remember the history of an important property and celebrate its preservation for future generations. 

The house was the childhood home of Ruffin Woody, a well-known businessman and antiques dealer in Roxboro.  The house was built circa 1920 by George W. Kane for Walter R. Woody, Sr., Ruffin’s father.  The elder Woody married Annie Laurie Barnette in 1923, and they lived in the house and raised their family there.  After Mr. Woody’s death in 1952, Mrs. Woody continued living in the house until her death in 1984.  The house has stood vacant since then but has been meticulously maintained.  After her husband’s death, Mrs. Sara Long, wife of former Roxboro resident Curtis E. Long, wanted a way to honor the memory of her husband in his hometown by contributing to something of a historic nature.    

Mr. Long had been born and raised in Roxboro and grew up on Lamar Street.  He served in the Air Force from 1943 until 1947.  He then settled in Winston-Salem and started his own advertising business. Several years later he was joined by Joseph Haymes and in the 60’s they were joined by Austin Carr.  Long, Haymes, and Carr grew into one of the largest advertising firms in the Southeast.  

The new space include exhibits that showcase aspects of Person County History, prominent Personians, schools and churches of all nine townships, as well as work of local artists and artisans.