W.C. Bradley Co. Museum, Art Collection, and the D.A. Turner Memorial Chapel

The W.C. Bradley Co. Museum is located in the historic building that is home to the company’s worldwide headquarters.  The museum is housed inside a renovated cotton warehouse which was built in the late 1880s along the Chattahoochee River in Uptown Columbus, Georgia.  Under Mr. W.C. Bradley’s ownership, it became the largest cotton warehouse in the South at the turn of the 19th century.  This classic brick and timber structure has been in continuous use since it was built and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The 11,000-square-foot museum features the W.C. Bradley Co. Art Collection.  In 1985, 120 of the paintings were commissioned to mark the company’s Centennial Anniversary, with other pieces added in the ensuing years.  These works, from acclaimed national and regional artists, reflect the W.C. Bradley Co.’s culture, people, diverse interests, and commitment to the community. 

Thick, heart-pine beams crisscross the repurposed warehouse space, featuring its original brick walls and clerestory windows, to form the perfect milieu for this unique collection.  The historical artifacts and collection of paintings combine to make a meaningful statement about the company through content, texture, form, and experience. 

Adjacent to the W.C. Bradley Co. Museum is the D.A. Turner Memorial Chapel.  The chapel was funded entirely by donations from team members as a Centennial gift to honor the company’s shareholders.  It was named in memory of Mr. D. Abbott Turner, who was the company’s Chairman of the Board from 1947 to 1982.  Affectionately known as “Mr. D.A.,” he was the son-in-law of W.C. Bradley.  As Mr. D.A.’s son, Bill Turner, explained at the Dedication Ceremony of the chapel, December 20, 1987:  “Nothing you could have done would have pleased my Dad and our family more than this chapel.  Those of you who knew Dad, knew that his priorities were crystal clear; that God came first, followed closely by family, this company, and the community.  This tremendous gift is a tribute to each of these priorities.  I can still hear him say every time I pass the door to the chapel that no man or company can be materially rich if they’re spiritually poor.”

The chapel is an uncomplicated and authentic reflection of the character of the W.C. Bradley Co.  With its richly weathered surfaces, unpretentious wooden pews, wrought-iron chandeliers, and simple muted tones, the chapel serves as a peaceful, serene setting inside the company’s global headquarters.  Hanging above and complementing the simple altar is the painting “Child with Christ” by American realist artist Bo Bartlett and a hand-wrought cross by metal sculptor David Acton.

The museum and the chapel serve as living gifts, with team members and shareholders using these spaces for business and personal use, as well as to support their participation in community events.

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“Our hope is that the W.C. Bradley Co. Art Collection communicates not only the history of our company but also the philosophy and values that make our company unique.”

William B. “Bill” Turner
Former Chairman and CEO, W.C. Bradley Co., and Grandson of W.C. Bradley

“This Art Collection is a humble reminder of the many ways we have been blessed over a long period of time and through so many people who have given this company its character.”

Stephen T. “Steve” Butler
Former Chairman of the Board, W.C. Bradley Co., and Great-Grandson of W.C. Bradley

“The true value of the W.C. Bradley Art Collection lies in the large number of stories it tells through the art.”

Marc R. Olivié
Former CEO, W.C. Bradley Co.

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Address:

W.C. Bradley Co. Museum
1017 Front Avenue
Columbus, Georgia  31901

Hours:

The W.C. Bradley Co. Museum is open Monday-Friday 9 A.M. - 5 P.M.