The school remained open during the American Civil War, then later suffered under the incompetent leadership of political appointees.

[5] Under desegregation in the 1960s, black deaf students from the Garner campus of Governor Morehead School were moved to NCSD.

[7] The school is on a national historic district campus in Morganton, North Carolina with 12 buildings on 160 acres (650,000 m2) of land.

It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the Conference of Educational Administrators Serving the Deaf.

The Museum was spearheaded as a Senior Project by Jimmy Autrey, NCSD graduate of 1977 along with a number of student & staff volunteers.

The Museum maintains a record of student enrollment, organizational activities, school publications, memorabilia, photographic images, newspapers & class books in the Archival Collection Room.