Indian Resource Center strives to keep legacy alive after Florence disaster

PEMBROKE, N.C. (WTVD) —

More than three months since Hurricane Florence ravaged the Indian Resource Center, clean-up efforts are still in progress.

The shell of the historic structure sits on the University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s campus. It has held historic Lumbee artifacts, paintings, and other cultural symbols for decades.

Gov. Roy Cooper along with ABC11 toured the facility’s progress Tuesday. Many of the paintings that once hung on the walls sat on the floor with a protective covering over them, historic pictures peering through transparent cloths.

The main auditorium is a mere shell; the flooring is reduced to old baseboards.

The director of the Indian Resource Center was overwhelmed with emotion as she spoke to ABC11 about what this building means to her community.

“There’s so much in there that tells our story,” Dr. Connie Locklear said. “We lost a lot of information as it relates to our culture, our history.”

The facility could re-open in early April.