Tryon History Museum
2025 Board of Directors
Our Board
Dick Callaway (2026)
An avid historian and North Carolina native, Dick and his wife Fran moved to Tryon 11 years ago from Louisville, Kentucky. Fran is very involved in the equestrian community in Tryon. Dick is deeply involved on the Board of the NC Transportation Museum. He has served on the Tryon History Museum board for eight years, the last four as President.
Wanda K. May (2026)
Wanda has lived in Tryon for 32 years. She is a Virginia native and former owner of the Tryon shop, The Book Shelf (1993-2002). She has long been active in downtown development as a founder of the Tryon Downtown Development Association. She loves Tryon and its history and brings experience and skills from careers in Health Systems Management and Church Administration.
Skip Crowe (2026)
Skip and Denny moved to Tryon eight years ago after retiring from careers in banking, textiles and non-profits. They both have been active in Tryon, with Skip serving on the Museum board for 4 years and also serving on the Thermal Belt Outreach and Tryon Rotary Club boards. He was elected as a Tryon Commissioner in 2024, his first foray into politics.
Willard Whitson (2027)
Willard Whitson is Executive Director of KidSenses Children’s Museum in Rutherfordton, North Carolina. An award winning artist and former arts educator, Mr. Whitson has been creating informal educational environments and programs for over forty years in numerous prestigious institutions, including the American Museum of Natural History, The Academy of Natural Sciences and the National Children’s Museum. His love and expertise is in helping children learn. He says, “It is very exciting to create places where our youngest visitors gain the tools of inquiry that will enable them to become self-reliant, curious individuals. I hope our young visitors never stop wanting to learn and ask questions. It what we humans do best.”
Harriet Hudson (2027)
Harriet escaped from Texas five years ago and came to Tryon. She is an interior designer with a special interest in historic homes and furnishings. She has worked with The Winterthur Museum in Delaware and brings direct museum experience and energy to the Tryon History Museum.
Frances Parker (2027)
Frances grew up on a peach farm off Blackstock Rd in Landrum. After high school, she attended North Greenville College. She then worked as a paralegal at a law firm for 33 years. After a brief hiatus she was recruited to work again at a law firm and stayed for 7 years. She joined the Tryon History Museum Board in January of 2024. Her knowledge of area is so valuable to the museum.
Cinda Austin (2027)
Cinda left big city life and settled into Tryon 17 years ago. Her main interest is in bringing people together through local agriculture and food which was served in historic hotels and homes over our history. She served as the Food Coordinator for the very successful Farm-To-Trade event put on by TDDA. She is closely involved in promoting our local wineries. Her motto is "Every Table has a Story". Cinda is excited to help promote our local history by joining the board.
Heather Brady (2028)
Heather came to Tryon from Greenville. She has never met a story she didn't want to chase. The love of uncovering history and connection led me to career in real estate. From tracing century-old deeds to swapping tales of the Dark Corner, I am happiest when breathing life back into stories that shaped the ground beneath us. I believe history should never gather dust-it should spark curiousity, laughter and connection. Serving on the museum board lets me help preserve Tryon's rich heritage while keeping the its stories alive for the next chapter.
Litch Carpenter (2028)
Litch is an historian, art collector and appraiser, and he loves history. He and his partner, Wash live in the Seven Hearths historic home in Tryon. Litch's knowledge of art and artifacts is invaluable to the museum.
Dr. Warren Carson (2028)
Warren is a native of Tryon, having grown up on the "Eastside" of town. His knowledge of and long civic involvement in the African-American Community is critical for our ability to "Tell Tryon's History". Dr. Carson is retired after serving as administrator and Professor for many years at USC Upstate. He is also deeply involved as President of the Roseland Center, providing a community gathering place and offering opportunities for children.
Colin Thompson (2028)
Colin is an upstate South Carolina native with deep family roots in Western NC and the Tryon area. He has spent his career leading teams and organizations, across both corporate and small business settings. He has a passion for helping people and systems work better together. He is excited to serve on the board to help preserve and share the region's rich history for future generations.