NC Museum To Display Capel Rug in Collection

Raleigh, NC, Jan. 18, 2011 -- In 1917 A. Leon Capel realized nearly every family could use a good braided rug and transformed his Gee-Haw Plowline company into what is now America's oldest and largest privately owned importer and manufacturer of area rugs.

Ninety-three years later, the North Carolina Museum of History is recognizing Capel Rugs' distinguished history as a leading North Carolina manufacturer by accepting one of Capel's braided rugs into its permanent artifact collection.

A braided Songbird rug, in the colorway blue jay, will be added to the museum's collection during a special ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 20.

"All of us at Capel Rugs feel incredibly honored to have one of our rugs added to the North Carolina Museum of History," said Capel Rugs Director of Administration Mary Clara Capel.

Capel Rugs originally presented the Songbird rug as a feature item in the NCSU-Industrial Extension Service's Manufacturing Makes It Real Tour, a week-long celebration of the high-quality and competitive spirit of North Carolina manufacturers that took place last year. About a dozen items from that tour, including the Songbird rug, were selected by the North Carolina Museum of History to be added to its collection.