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Worth Saving
The Newsletter of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office
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Events, Awards, and Grants
For statewide event lists, visit the HPO Facebook event list, Preservation North Carolina events list, or a September - November 2013 calendar and workshop and conference list courtesy of the Federation of N.C. Historical Societies.
The National Preservation Institute has several seminars scheduled for this fall in nearby states including:
- The Recent Past: Identification and Evaluation of Mid-20th Century Resources, September 10-11, 2013, Atlanta, GA
- Preservation Planning and Policy Development for Historic Roads, September 12, 2013, Atlanta, GA
- Landscape Preservation: An Introduction, September 25-26, 2013, Greensboro, NC
- Section 106: Agreement Documents, November 12 - 14, 2013, Tallahassee, FL
- Cultural and Natural Resources: An Integrated Management Strategy, November 18-19, 2013, Richmond, VA
- Section 106: A Review for Experienced Practitioners, December 4-5, 2013, Mt. Vernon, VA
Information about each seminar, including speakers, agendas, and registration costs can be found at www.npi.org, or by calling 703-765-0100, or emailing [email protected].
September 13 Deadline for the Economic Development Administration's (EDA) Public Works Program grants. The EDA Public Works Program provides grants to support job creation in economically distressed areas of the United States. EDA grants can fund local renewable energy, green building, energy efficiency, and recycling projects. Click here for more information.
September 18-21 "Turning Points: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things," the American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting, Birmingham, AL. Information will be posted here.
September 19-20 Historic Tax Credit Conference, Detroit, MI. For more information about the event see this page.
September 20-22 Window Restoration & Weatherization Boot Camp, Hannibal, MO. During this hands-on learning experience, students will learn cost-effective restoration and weatherization of original, double-hung, wood windows as part of a team restoring original 163-year old windows in a ca. 1850 brick, Greek Revival slave house. You will learn sash removal, safe paint and glass removal, wood repair, glazing putty application, complete weather stripping, and sash installation. The class is limited to 10 students, who will work side-by-side with instructor Bob Yapp, nationally recognized as an expert in window restoration. For more information or to pre-register, contact Bob Yapp at (217) 474-6052 or via e-mail; or go to this page.
September 25-28 Southeast Chapter, Society of Architectural Historians Annual Meeting, Charlotte, NC. Information about the conference will be posted at http://www.sesah.org/.
September 26 "Crowdfunding: Can your organization leverage the online power of social media to access new sources of funding?" webinar. Drew Tulchin, of Social Enterprise Associates, will lead this webinar. Click here to register.
October 2-4 Preservation North Carolina's 2013 Annual Conference will be in Edenton. Save the date!
October 11- 12 Cemetery Preservation, Friday, 6-9 PM, & Saturday, 8 AM-5 PM, Edgecombe Community College, 2009 W. Wilson St., Tarboro campus. A review of NC laws concerning cemeteries, guidelines on recording and reporting cemeteries, and guidance on cleaning and restoring damaged stones. Saturday's class will be spent in several area cemeteries. The instructor for the workshop is Monika Fleming. This workshop is part of the Historic Preservation Trades Courses at Edgecombe Community College. For all hands-on courses using tools, students will need to sign a liability waiver with an option of purchasing insurance through the college for $6 per semester (fees are subject to legislative changes). The cost is $120 (seniors 65 and over can take one free class per semester). Limited enrollment. For more information or to register for this and other courses, please contact Monika Fleming by phone at (252) 823-5166, ext. 241, or by email at [email protected].
October 11-15 Association for Preservation Technology Conference "Preserving the Metropolis," New York, NY. Details about the conference and registration information can be found here.
October 29-November 2 National Preservation Conference "Preservation at the Crossroads," Indianapolis, IN. Information about the conference events and registration will be posted online here. For more information contact the National Preservation Conference at [email protected] or (202) 588-6100.
October 18-20 Lighting and the American Home Interior, 1750 - 1860, Canandaigua, NY. Through lectures, discussions, and workshops, participants will study the relationships between design, color, finishes, and decorative arts and lighting, and how to take these elements into consideration during the restoration of a historic interior. Sponsored by the Historic Lighting Association. For additional information and/or registration materials, contact David Nicholson after 7PM at (581) 526-6862 or by email; or Joel Paradis anytime at (315) 853-1444 or by email.
November 1 "First Voice: Collaborative Heritage Preservation with Descendant Communities," North Carolina Preservation Consortium (NCPC) Annual Conference, 9 AM - 4 PM, at the Ida and William Friday Center for Continuing Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Speakers will present case studies and recommendations for engaging descendant communities in heritage preservation, advocating for human rights with inclusive stewardship, mediating heritage values and professional ethics, and building consensus for preservation priorities. Other highlights of this conference include information about NCPC preservation grants, the campaign to conserve North Carolina's Most Endangered Artifacts, and the announcement of the winner of NCPC's annual Award for Collection Preservation Excellence. This conference is designed for professionals, staff, and volunteers working in museums, libraries, historic sites, archives, conservation centers, and other preservation institutions; advocates for preservation on friends boards, advancement councils, and advisory committees; those working in organizations with a preservation mission; members of the preservation industry; and faculty and students in preservation disciplines. Please complete and print the registration form on the NCPC web site and mail with payment.
November 2 Building Analysis, 8 AM -5 PM, Edgecombe Community College, 2009 W. Wilson St., Tarboro campus. Learn how to examine buildings and determine types of problems encountered in restoration. Look at foundations, walls, and overall condition of structures and help develop plans for restoration. The instructor for the workshop is Ben Curran. This workshop is part of the Historic Preservation Trades Courses at Edgecombe Community College. For all hands-on courses using tools, students will need to sign a liability waiver with an option of purchasing insurance through the college for $6 per semester (fees are subject to legislative changes). The cost is $65 (seniors 65 and over can take one free class per semester). Limited enrollment. For more information or to register for this and other courses, please contact Monika Fleming by phone at (252) 823-5166, ext. 241, or by email at [email protected].
November 2 Introduction to Genealogy, 8:30 AM- 5:30 PM, Edgecombe Community College, 2009 W. Wilson St., Tarboro campus. A short course in how to begin genealogy research using census records, county records such as marriage and death certificates, wills, and other sources including Internet sites and Bible records, and conducting oral histories. The instructor for the workshop is Monika Fleming. (.8 C.E.U.s) Suggested text Unpuzzling your Roots, Croom 4th ed. This workshop is part of the Historic Preservation Trades Courses at Edgecombe Community College. For all hands-on courses using tools, students will need to sign a liability waiver with an option of purchasing insurance through the college for $6 per semester (fees are subject to legislative changes). The cost is $65 (seniors 65 and over can take one free class per semester). Limited enrollment. For more information or to register for his and other courses, please contact Monika Fleming by phone at (252) 823-5166, ext. 241, or by email at [email protected].
November 2 Researching Historic Property, 8 AM -5 PM, Edgecombe Community College, 2009 W. Wilson St., Tarboro campus. Learn how to do a house history using deeds, tax, census, and related records. (.8 C.E.U.s) Suggested text is
Houses and Homes Exploring Their History, which costs $25. The instructor for the workshop is Monika Fleming. This workshop is part of the Historic Preservation Trades Courses at Edgecombe Community College. For all hands-on courses using tools, students will need to sign a liability waiver with an option of purchasing insurance through the college for $6 per semester (fees are subject to legislative changes). The cost is $65 (seniors 65 and over can take one free class per semester). Limited enrollment. For more information or to register for this and other courses, please contact Monika Fleming by phone at (252) 823-5166, ext. 241, or by email at [email protected].
November 6 Southeastern Archaeological Conference Annual Meeting, Tampa, FL. Information is available online here.
November 9 - 10 Southern Architecture - Short Course, 8 AM -5 PM, Edgecombe Community College, 2009 W. Wilson St., Tarboro campus. An overview of building technology and architectural styles found in North Carolina and the region from Colonial to mid-20th century. Course will include field trips to area homes. The instructor for the workshop is Monika Fleming. This workshop is part of the Historic Preservation Trades Courses at Edgecombe Community College. For all hands-on courses using tools, students will need to sign a liability waiver with an option of purchasing insurance through the college for $6 per semester (fees are subject to legislative changes). The cost is $120 (seniors 65 and over can take one free class per semester). Limited enrollment. For more information or to register for this and other courses, please contact Monika Fleming by phone at (252) 823-5166, ext. 241, or by email at [email protected].
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Rehabilitation and Tax Credit Projects Highlights
The ca. 1840 transitional Federal-to-Greek Revival Thomas Sparrow House located in the New Bern Downtown Historic District (Craven County) was rehabilitated in 2012 for continued office use on the first floor with two apartments on the upper floors. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with a private rehabilitation investment of $108,000.
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The Thomas Sparrow House before and after rehabilitation.
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The ca. 1935 house located at 415 Durham Road in the Wake Forest Historic District (Wake County) was rehabilitated in 2008 for continued single-family residential use. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with a private rehabilitation investment of $120,000.
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415 Durham Road, before and after rehabilitation.
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N.C. Rosenwald Schools Conference to be Held in Edenton, October 5
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Julius Rosenwald and Berry O'Kelly visit a NC Rosenwald School. Photo Courtesy of the University of Virginia Library.
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Join Rosenwald School alumni, Rosenwald School groups, and preservation enthusiasts as they gather to honor the work community-based groups are doing to preserve the heritage, share the story, and remember the history of Rosenwald Schools. This daylong gathering will explore the ways that Rosenwald Schools and their legacies are being renovated, restored, renewed, and remembered to bring new life to their communities.
The conference will be held from 9 AM to 5 PM on October 5, 2013 in historic Edenton, NC. Confirmed speakers include Dr. Dudley Flood, retired education specialist and a NC Rosenwald school graduate; Dr. Tom Hanchett of the Levine Museum of the New South in Charlotte, NC; Nancy Tinker, senior field officer with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and several members of groups that have preserved Rosenwald schools for new community uses who will present their success stories.
Participants will hear success stories, best practices, and learn about available resources. Click here to register. The deadline for registration is Friday, September 27. For questions about registration, contact Schree Chavdarov at by email or at (919) 807-6516.
This event is brought to you by the North Carolina Rosenwald School Network, the North Carolina African American Heritage Commission, the Conservation Trust for North Carolina, the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, and the North Carolina Rosenwald Coalition along with support from Preservation North Carolina.
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Newton Wins Local Preservation Award
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Newton Downtown Historic District
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The Catawba County Historical Association (CCHA) has awarded the city of Newton with the Becky Hart Preservation Award. Melinda Herzog, CCHA executive director, said the city was selected for the award for two reasons: the city helped the museum, housed in the 1924 Courthouse, complete electrical work that included rewiring and implementing energy-efficient systems, thereby helping to protect the artifacts; the city also spearheaded efforts to nominate the Newton Downtown Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places and to educate its citizens about the listing. Click here for more information.
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Local Church Receives Reward for Preservation Efforts
St. James Episcopal Church in Wilmington has received a Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit from Preservation North Carolina for its restoration of the MacRae House. Also known as the Anne Moore Bacon Church House, the MacRae House at 25 S. Third St. was built in 1901 for Donald MacRae. St. James recently completed a $1.26 million restoration on the structure. Of the cost, $500,000 was donated by the heirs of Anne Moore Bacon. Click here for more information.
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Owner of Orton Plantation Gives Conservation Easement
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The 256-acre tract includes a buffer along
both sides of Allen's Creek. Photo courtesy
N. C. Coastal Land Trust
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The N.C. Coastal Land Trust has completed a deal with Orton Plantation Holdings LLC for a conservation easement protecting critical habitat along Allen's Creek at Orton Plantation, according to a news release. The 256-acre tract includes a buffer along both sides of Allen's Creek. It was given to the trust as part of an agreement between the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and Orton Plantation Holdings in which the Corps issued a permit for the restoration of Orton's historic rice fields along the Cape Fear River. Click here for more information.
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American Battlefield Protection Program Grant Given for Cane Creek Battlefield
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The NC Highway Historical Marker for Cane Creek
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An American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP) grant has been given for work at the Cane Creek Battlefield in McDowell County. The grant will fund a battlefield site identification and delineation study to pinpoint the boundaries of the Battle of Cane Creek. The grant recipient and administrator is Foothills Conservancy, which will hire an archaeological contractor to conduct the proejct. The Battle of Cane Creek is thought to have been a key catalyst in sparking the Overmountain Men march. Click here for more information about the battle and here for the press release.
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Dedrochronology Work Begun on the William R. Davie House
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The William R. Davie House
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Michael Worthington of Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory conducted dendrochronology sampling at the William R. Davie House in Halifax on July 24 and 25. Mr. Worthington recently completed the dendrochronology for the oldest dated house in North Carolina (see the article in our February issue of Worth Saving). William R. Davie's home was a spacious, two-story, seven-room, side-passage-plan house possibly constructed as early as 1783. The purpose of the current dendrochronology research is to determine the date of construction as well the dates of other changes that have been made to the building.
William Richardson Davie (1756-1820) was considered a leading figure in eighteenth-century North Carolina. Davie served as a calvary officer during the American Revolution; a member of the 1787 Constitutional Convention; Governor from 1798 to 1799; and was appointed as an envoy to France by President John Adams. Davie is perhaps best known in our state as the founder of the University of North Carolina.
Click here for more information.
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After 175 Years, North Carolina Capitol Plans Nearly in Hand
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The N.C. State Capitol.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
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Nearly 175 years after work was completed on the North Carolina State Capitol, the architectural plans of the historic structure are nearly in hand. The Capitol was completed for $563,000 - ten times the budget and three times the total tax receipts of the state at the time. After a series of architects worked on the project, David Paton was the man who saw the work to completion.
"Toward the end of construction, the state ran out of funds to build the Capitol, so we didn't finish paying our architect. Not being fully paid, he simply packed up all of the original architectural drawings and left," said Kevin Cherry, the deputy secretary of the state Department of Cultural Resources.
Having no architectural plans is a challenge when repairs are needed, and could be problematic if the building had to be rebuilt in the event of fire or other disaster. For almost a year, architects specializing in historic building conservation have been going over the Capitol from attic to cellar taking photographs, making computer generated architectural drawings, and drawing the details of the building by hand.
Click here for more information.
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Harry Lewis Thompson Remembered
Harry Lewis Thompson, a friend to preservation, passed away on August 4. He was a member of Historic Hope Foundation, Historical Murfreesboro Commission, NC Maritime Council, Roanoke River Partnership, Washington County Waterways Commission, CS Ram Albemarle Chapter of Military Order of Stars and Bars, Fort Branch Sons of Confederate Veterans, North Carolina Tourism Board, and Murfreesboro Historical Commission. He contributed to several History Channel and UNC-TV documentaries, East Carolina University historical research efforts, Roanoke Cashie River Center, and Living History Weekend in Plymouth, NC. He authored several books of local historical interest, collected local and regional artifacts from Native American Indians to present, and was well known for his extensive genealogical research. Of particular interest to Harry was restoration and preservation of historical structures and artifacts. He was frequently heard saying "it's all about the children" and "you need to tell the stories."
Recognitions include Legion of Merit Award by Lt. Charles W. Read of the Military Order of the Stars & Bars, Outstanding Achievement Award in the Field of Historic Preservation by the Historic Preservation Foundation of North Carolina, Gertrude S. Carraway Award of Merit, Dedicated Service Award for the Preservation of History by the Historic Hope Foundation, Dr. J.P. Jacocks Award, Historic Insight Award by the Vail Historical Foundation, North Carolina Community Service Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, Certificate of Appreciation from the Tuscarora Tribe of North Carolina, The Old North State Award in 2007 by Governor Mike Easley, and North Carolina Maritime History Council recognition of service.
Click here for the full obituary.
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University President's House Rescued to Become Home of Foster Program
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The George C. Davis House before rehabilitation
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The 122-year-old George C. Davis House, former home of Johnson C. Smith University's (JCSU) first black professor and his beloved educator wife, faced bulldozers many times as it stood proudly - but empty and deteriorating. Now, at long last, workers are in the first weeks of an $800,000 restoration that will bring the Davis House back to life. When the project is completed, the house will serve as the administrative offices of a program that guides young adults who leave foster care upon turning eighteen years old.
Davis and his wife, Marie G. Davis, a Charlotte teacher and principal, lived in the Queen Anne-style house for 55 years. He started building it in 1891 and expanded it in the early 1900s, wrapping it in brick in 1920. That year, Davis left JCSU to become the state's agent for the Julius Rosenwald Fund that helped build 813 schools for black children across North Carolina.
Click here for more information.
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Join the UNCW Public History Preservation Squad and Run or Walk in Support of Historic Preservation
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London Marathon with Racing Buildings
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The UNCW Public History Program announces its effort to help the Historic Wilmington Foundation to "protect and preserve the irreplaceable historic resources of Wilmington and the Lower Cape Fear Region" by participating in the Race for Preservation 5K, on September 12, as a costumed group of walkers and runners. Dress as a building and run 3.1 miles or walk one mile to raise awareness for the importance of historic preservation. If you cannot participate on September 12, you can still support the Preservation Squad and Historic Wilmington Foundation with a donation. Click here for more information.
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Georgia African American History Projects with Links to North Carolina
The July issue of the Georgia African American Historic Preservation Network's Reflections newsletter features two recent projects with links to North Carolina. First is Joseph McGill's "Slave Dwelling Project," an ongoing project that has Mr. McGill staying overnight in slave dwellings across the country and speaking to groups to bring greater awareness of the need for their interpretation and their significance in American history. Mr. McGill visited Salisbury this summer to celebrate Juneteenth at the Dr. Josephus Hall House kitchen/slave house. Click here to learn more about this building and here to read Mr. McGill's blog entry about his stay. Mr. McGill also spent the night at the Bellamy Mansion slave quarters in Wilmington in 2011. Click here to read his blog about that visit.
"A Slave Dwelling Project" conference is scheduled September 18-20, 2014, in Savannah, GA. Click here for more information.
The second article is about Chubbtown, a rare self-sufficient, antebellum, African American community in Floyd County, Georgia. Chubbtown was initially settled by eight brothers who moved to Georgia from Caswell County, North Carolina, in the early-to-mid 1800s. It is believed that the Chubb family was freed through purchase by an ancestor for $1,200.00. The Chubbs were a rare example of freed black family in the South. In the mid 1800s, before the end of the Civil War, the second oldest brother, Henry Chubb, purchased 120 acres for $900.00. The acquisition of land by a freed African American during this time in history seems almost unfathomable today. The land purchase ultimately formed the heart of what is now Chubbtown.
Click here for the Reflections newsletter.
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Did the Great Wagon Road Go Through Rural Hall, NC?
June Koehn, a Rural Hall resident, has been trying to document the route of the Great Wagon Road in the Rural Hall vicinity for decades. She thinks she has found new evidence to support her belief that it did. Not everyone agrees. Click here for more information.
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Report Evaluating the Economic Impact of Historic Preservation Tax Credits Released
As part of a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service (NPS), the Rutgers University Center for Urban Policy Research undertook a study of the economic impacts of the Federal Historic Tax Credit for fiscal year 2012 (which ended on September 30, 2012) as well as the cumulative impacts of the program since 1978. In brief, the economic impact of the program in FY 2012 on a national scale included the creation of approximately 58,000 jobs and $3.4 billion in gross domestic product (GDP). State level impacts are also reported. For your convenience both the full report and an executive summary of the findings may be downloaded. Additional reports about the program are also available.
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Reasons to Save Old Houses
A recent post on the Adventures in Preservation blog outlined six reasons to care about saving old homes, based on an interview with Nicole Curtis, host of HGTV's Rehab Addict. Click here for more information.
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Meet Our Intern
 Katy Liang is our newest HPO intern. Katy was born in Charlotte and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama, with a concentration in Technical Theatre, from UNC Greensboro. She is currently enrolled in the NC State University Master of Architecture program and plans to graduate in Spring 2014. Katy has been an intern at the HPO since May 2013 and has been working closely with the Restoration Services Branch staff focusing on commercial historic rehabilitation tax credit projects. She has been making site visits with staff members for ongoing and potential projects.
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