Chandy Dunnam Steps Up As YC Museum’s Director

Chandy Dunnam Steps Up as Young County Museum’s First Executive Director GRAHAM, Texas — When Chandy Dunnam pulled a full-sized taxidermied buffalo across state lines in a livestock trailer, she wasn’t just relocating a museum centerpiece—she was bringing a piece of her past home to her present.

Originally from Cody, Wyoming, Mrs. Dunnam was elected executive director of the Young County Museum of History and Culture (YCMOHC) in April. Though new to the title, she’s already proven to be a force behind the museum’s growing transformation into a dynamic community hub in downtown Graham.

In the lead-up to the Museum’s Aug. 30 opening, Mrs. Dunnam spends her days deciding on font sizes, constructing floating walls for exhibits and wrangling volunteers. The museum will be open to the public after July 4 on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment other days.

Mrs. Dunnam’s journey to the museum was more winding than curated. She worked in tourism for the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce in Wyoming, home of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West museum, and served as office manager for a construction firm overseeing large-scale public projects. When she returned in 2023 to Graham—her husband’s hometown—she was hired to do bookkeeping for the museum before catching what YCMOHC board president Tony Widner calls “the history bug.”

“She turned into a full-blown history nerd,” Mr. Widner laughed. “From that point on she started working with us more on history than accounting.”

As the museum expanded and the board looked for someone to helm it in its new digs on the Graham square, Mrs. Dunnam was the obvious choice, Mr. Widner said.

“With all of the experience that she already had in these other areas and her enthusiasm for Young County History, we got to look at what we would consider the requirements for this position, and [Mrs. Dunnam] and it came together,” he said.

Now fully immersed in the work, Mrs. Dunnam is leading everything from designing exhibits to collections digitization to capital fundraising. She’s particularly proud of the library she helped build—custom shelves will soon house more than 2,000 books, including rare volumes by local authors like Carrie Crouch and Barbara Ledbetter. The museum has already welcomed visiting researchers and authors seeking material about Young County.

She’s also working with the city of Newcastle to digitize the Belknap Coal Company archives, creating what she hopes will become a central research tool for local historians and genealogists. “We want people to be able to see the records online, and also come here to do in-depth research,” she said. “We’ll help them track down whatever they need.”

The museum’s animal mounts, including “Bo,” the buffalo and a pair of rescued mountain lions named “Mo” and “Monty,” anchor the wildlife exhibit and offer a tactile area where children can interact with horns and fur. “Bo’s kind of become our mascot,” Mrs. Dunnam said. “The kids love him.”

Mrs. Dunnam is pursuing a degree in business management with a minor in nonprofit management, and she recently completed courses in grant writing and leadership development to further serve the museum’s needs.

“She’s young, energetic, and has all the tools we need to make this a real institution,” Mr. Widner said.