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Worth Saving
The Newsletter of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office
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Enclosed dog-trot at the Barrett-Faulkner House, Anson County,
listed in the National Register in 2012
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Rehabilitation Highlights
Guilford County, Greensboro, Harry A. Walker House
The ca. 1920 Harry A. Walker House in the Summit Avenue Historic District was rehabilitated 2012-2013. This project returned the house from a duplex to a single-family rental residence and was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with a private investment rehabilitation cost of $114,000.
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| | Harry A. Walker House, before and after rehabilitation |
Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, Mayer House
The ca. 1907 Mayer House located at 311 East Boulevard in the Dilworth Historic District was rehabilitated in 2014 for continued use as a restaurant. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with an estimated private investment rehabilitation cost of $56,000.
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| | Mayer House, before and after rehabilitation |
Surry County, Elkin, Neaves Building
Constructed in 1937 as the State Theater, the Art Deco-style building was converted into offices in the 1970s by making the theater space multi-level. The Neaves Building in the Downtown Elkin Historic District was rehabilitated 2011-2013 for continued office use. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with an estimated private investment rehabilitation cost of $655,000.
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Neaves Building, before and after rehabilitation
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Wake County, Raleigh, Ella Williamson House The ca. 1920 Ella Williamson House in the Hayes Barton Historic District was rehabilitated 2012-2013 for continued office use. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with an estimated private investment rehabilitation cost of $547,000. |
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Ella Williamson House, before and after rehabilitation
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Wake County, Wake Forest, 211 W. Pine Avenue One of three pre-Civil War dwellings in the Wake Forest Historic District, the 1840s frame building at 211 W. Pine Avenue was enlarged and moved from an adjacent lot in the 1920s and later converted into two apartments. The current owners rehabilitated the house 2009-2014 back to a single-family rental residence. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with a private investment rehabilitation cost of $141,000. |
| | 211 W. Pine Avenue, Wake Forest, before and after rehabilitation |
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Oldest Date House in North Carolina to be Part of 2015 Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes
"They may be 40 or 50 houses, most of them small, and built without expense. A citizen here is counted extravagant, if he has ambition enough to aspire to a brick-chimney."
William Byrd, Histories of the Dividing Line, 1728
A little more than a decade before Byrd surveyed the area to establish the boundary between North Carolina and Virginia, the first lots in the "Town on Queen Anne's Creek", renamed Edenton in 1722, were up for sale. Is it possible that one of the 40 or 50 houses to which William Byrd was referring during his visit to Edenton still stands today? If so, would the house have had brick chimneys or chimneys constructed of mud and wood?
Edenton carpenter Wayne Griffin got quite a surprise while removing paneling inside a small house located on East Queen Street. While preparing the house for renovation, Griffin uncovered a large hand-hewn and whitewashed timber post concealed behind modern wall paneling. The owners of the property, Steve and Linda Lane, were pleasantly surprised to learn that this building thought to date to ca. 1900 may be much older. Heritage enthusiasts, the Lanes realized the potential importance of this house and invited North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office staff and architectural historians from Colonial Williamsburg to study the building. As layer upon layer of modern ceiling and wall material were carefully removed, unique and much earlier original architectural features such as ceiling beams (joists) with decorative molded edges were exposed. As curiosity and excitement grew over the house, the study team recommended a dendrochronology study of the building.
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| Drawing of the oldest dated house in
North Carolina by Reid Thomas |
Dendrochronology is a tree-ring dating technique that has been used to date buildings across the globe since the 1970s. This scientific research tool can provide precise felling dates for timbers used in a building. Wood samples taken from a building's timbers are analyzed under a microscope that permits measurement of the individual growth rings. With the aid of a computerized system, the data is compared to tree-ring chronologies from the geographic area. Samples from the same geographical area produce similar tree-ring chronologies - much like a fingerprint.
Shortly after 11:00 am on Friday, January 11, 2013, dendrochronologist Michael Worthington announced the felling date for timbers used in the construction of the small house located on East Queen Street in Edenton. In a small gathering at the site, Worthington read the findings of his research on the house and announced "the felling date for the primary timbers used in this building was Winter 1718-19." The excited participants learned that they were standing in front of the oldest dated house in North Carolina.
Come and explore North Carolina's oldestdated house, opened especially for the 2015 Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes. Learn about on-going architectural investigations and how the layers of twentieth-century wood paneling, drywall, plywood, and linoleum were carefully removed to reveal 1718 timber framing and other fascinating features. Participants of the architectural study team including a restoration specialist with the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office will be on-site to greet visitors and answer questions.
In conjunction with this rare opportunity to step inside a nearly three-hundred-year-old timber-frame structure, experience Michael Worthington's work across the world in one of two presentations that he will be giving during the Pilgrimage.
More information about the discovery of the oldest dated house can be found on the Edenton Historical Commission's website .
Additional information about dendrochronology from Michael Worthington's Oxford Tree-Ring Laboratory can be found here.
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Demolition Plans for Hildebran School, Burke County, Divide Community
The Hildebran town council recently voted 4-1 to demolish the unused, 1917 portion of the Hildebran School complex rather than rehabilitate it, which has been estimated to cost as much as $1.2 million dollars. The item was a late addition to the meeting agenda and has taken many residents by surprise. Efforts are underway by supporters of the building's preservation to find alternatives to its demolition. The school was placed on the North Carolina Study List at the February 12 National Register Advisory Committee meeting in preparation for its potential listing in the National Register. Click here to learn more about the debate.
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New Owners of the Prince Charles Hotel, Fayetteville, Plan Its Rehabilitation
The new owners of Fayetteville's long-threatened Prince Charles Hotel, Prince Charles Holdings LLC, anticipate spending $11 million to rehabilitate the damaged and decaying building into an apartment house with ground-floor retail space. The rehabilitation of the neglected and heavily vandalized Prince Charles Hotel is expected to start late this year. Current plans are contingent upon the state legislature's re-establishment of a tax credit for the development of historic buildings. An effort by a group of Fayetteville businessmen to buy the hotel last year failed when it became clear in August that the current state rehabilitation tax credits would sunset at the close of 2014. Click here for more information about the proposed project.
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American Tobacco Factory Complex was a Featured Tax Credit Project on the NPS Facebook Page Last Month
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American Tobacco Factory campus after rehabilitation
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The American Tobacco Factory campus in Durham was the featured tax credit project on the NPS Facebook page on February 3. Click here to watch a video about the rehabilitation and how it led to a revitalization of downtown Durham.
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New Photography Exhibit at NC Museum of History Highlights Plight of Abandoned NC Buildings
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"Maid of the Mist," one of the images featured in the "Rural Revival" exhibit at the N.C. Museum of History. Image copyright Scott Garlock.
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An exhibit at the North Carolina Museum of History entitled "Rural Revival: Photographs of Home and Preservation of Place," opened February 20 and is on view through September 27. The photographs were taken by Scott Garlock of Macon, in Warren County, and feature abandoned houses and other types of buildings in North Carolina to raise awareness of what is in danger of being lost. Click here for more information.
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Historic Oak View County Park is Hosting Preservation North Carolina's Exhibit, Lost North Carolina
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Oak View, constructed 1855. Photo courtesy
of tripadvisor.com
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The Lost North Carolina traveling exhibit is a reminder of North Carolina architecture lost through demolition, natural disaster, social and economic change, or neglect. The thematic panels contain reproductions primarily from vintage postcards, but also period and contemporary photographs and drawings that provide the history of each building's fate. The exhibit will be on display in Historic Oak View's Farm History Center until May 17, 2015, and is free and open to the public during normal park hours, Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, call 919-250-1013.
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Interior Announces World Heritage List Nomination
(from the DOI press release)
Interior Secretary Jewell announced that the United States is nominating a group of 10 buildings in seven states designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for inclusion on the World Heritage List (WHL). The WHL recognizes the most significant cultural and natural sites on the plant. Jewell stated that "Frank Lloyd Wright is widely considered to be the greatest American architect of the twentieth century and his works are a highly valued and uniquely American contribution to the world's architectural heritage."
The nominated group, entitled "Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright," consists of Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois; Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago, Illinois; Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin; Hollyhock House in Los Angeles, California; Fallingwater in Mill Run, Pennsylvania; Herbert and Katherine Jacobs House in Madison, Wisconsin; Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City; Price Tower in Bartlesville, Oklahoma; and Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, California. This would be the first World Heritage listing for the United States in the field of modern architecture.
The nomination will be considered for inscription on the World Heritage List by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in the summer of 2016. If approved by the World Heritage Committee, it would join 22 sites in the United States already inscribed on the World Heritage List. The most recent U.S. site is the Poverty Point State Historic Site in Louisiana, an archeological site that was inscribed in 2014. A year ago, Secretary Jewell announced the nomination of San Antonio Missions, consisting of most of San Antonio Missions National Historical Park as well as the Alamo, for inclusion on the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Committee is reviewing the nomination and is expected to make a decision this summer.
Additionally, the Department of the Interior plans to revise the candidate list, or Tentative List of potential future U.S. World Heritage nominations, by 2016. Interested parties may suggest properties for consideration at any time. For further information, please consult the National Park Service, Office of International Affairs webpage.
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NPS's Technical Preservation Services Returns the Preservation-by-Topic Index to Its Website
Technical Preservation Services's (TPS) 'Preservation-by-Topic' index for information available on the TPS website is back. The index is a finding aid for online and printed TPS information that has been developed on the subjects of historic preservation, cultural landscapes, and the rehabilitation of historic buildings.
This web-based version of the index replaces the previous printed version and can now be updated more easily. The index is arranged alphabetically, with topics cross-referenced, and the new electronic format allows the index to be linked directly to the specific documents and guidance, making finding that information even easier.
It is reached from the "How to Preserve" tab on the TPS website, or directly at this page.
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National Main Streets Conference in Atlanta, GA
From March 30 to April 2, citizens of Main Street communities across the nation will gather to talk about partnerships that foster new ideas for building economic, financial, and business development successes in their towns. This year's theme is TEAM Main Street: Teamwork and Entrepreneurship across Main Street. The National Park Service (NPS) has provided a few conference highlights below that should appeal to CLGs.
- NPS sessions: There will be a series of sessions throughout the conference, including a tax credit workshop with the GA SHPO; a session on slip covers and dealing with eligibility, possible removal, and rehabilitation; understanding the difference between NR and local historic districts; "What the Heck is a CLG" for basics on the program; and a session on the economic impact of disasters on historic districts.
Participation at this conference would fulfill the annual CLG training requirement. More conference information is available online here.
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Historic Preservation in HUD's National Disaster Resilience Competition
Need funds for disaster resilience? Tune into the HUD webinar to learn how your communities could tap into this funding. Note that all applications must funnel through your state contact.
 HUD is pleased to present this pre-recorded webinar on Historic Preservation in the National Disaster Resilience Competition (NDRC) which will award $1 billion for projects that address unmet disaster recovery needs and enhance resilience to better prepare for future disasters. The webinar offers guidance on how historic preservation might fit into NDRC proposals. It explains the basics of the NDRC program, the value of thinking broadly about resilience and partnerships, how preservationists could contribute to the development of concepts in Phase 1, and examples of practical ways to make historic buildings and areas more resilient as a means to inspire local thinking about resilience.
Additional information about the NDRC program can be found online here.
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Grant Opportunity with "Latino Americans: 500 Years of History"
 The NEH and American Library Association have a new program to encourage libraries, museums, community arts and cultural organizations, historical societies, public television station affiliates, state humanities councils, and others to develop programming about Latina/o history. The project was inspired in part by the PBS documentary series LATINO AMERICANS. One of the program's goals is to engage people in examining and documenting the histories of Latino Americans in their communities, and it plans to distribute $1.5 million to support programming . Eligible organizations are invited to read the grant guidelines and submit an online application by Friday, May 1, 2015. Up to 200 sites will be selected to receive one of these grants, and awards will be announced on June 15, 2015.
Additional information about the program can be found online here.
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For Your Entertainment and Edification...
- The Historic Preservation and Collections Department at George Washington's Mount Vernon symposiums on the deployment of GIS in the management and research of historic resources in the DC metropolitan region have now been made available online. Click here for a summary of the six presentations, presenter contacts, as well as links to slides, videos, and other relevant material.
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Events, Awards, and Grants
2015 Advisory Council on Historic Preservation training schedule is now available Visit this page for registration details and pricing. Please contact Cindy Bienvenue at [email protected] if you have any questions.
2015 National Center for Preservation Technology and Training workshop and event list is available here.
March 10 Third lecture in a series of Preservation Talks provided by the Historic Wilmington Foundation,Temple of Israel, 1 South 4th Street, Wilmington, 6:30 PM. The speaker, Beth Pancoe, President of SDI Construction, will be discussing the restoration of the Temple of Israel. For more information, contact George W. Edwards at 910-762-2511 or [email protected].
March 11 Rescheduled Local Commission Training,Conference Room #10035, Cary Town Hall, 316 N. Academy Street, 6:30 PM. This training is open to other commission members and staff. For more information or to register, contact Anna Readling by email at [email protected] or by calling 919-469-4084.
March 18-20 NC Main Street Conference, Morganton, NC. View the complete agenda and register here.
March 19 Rescheduled Regional Local Commission Training, Greensboro Historical Museum Auditorium, 130 Summit Avenue,9:00 AM - 3:30 PM. The training will follow the same agenda as the originally planned event. Click here for the agenda. You must register online here. Please contact Stefan-leih Geary by phone at 336-412-6300 or by email at [email protected] if you have any questions.
March 20 "The Ties that Bind: Exploring Place Memory," UNCG Graduate Symposium, Gatewood Studio Arts Building, 9:30 AM - 4:00 PM. Register by March 9 to take advantage of the $25 early bird rate. Click here for more information about the program or contact Professor Jo Ramsay Leimenstoll by email at [email protected].
March 23 March Nonprofit Huddle, Wake County Commons Building, 4011 Carya Drive, Raleigh, 6:00 - 8:00 PM The theme of this workshop for staff and boards of new or struggling non-profits is "Nonprofit Fairy Tales, " myths and misconceptions regarding nonprofits. The workshop is free of charge, but registration (deadline March 13) is required. For more information and to register, contact Bettie Murchison by phone at 919-714-3854 or by email at [email protected].
March 24 - 26 Section 106: An Introduction, Atlanta. Learn the basics of project review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Discuss recent changes in regulations and procedures, with an emphasis on coordination with the National Environmental Policy Act and other laws. Seminar held in cooperation with the National Preservation Institute and the Georgia Department of Transportation. Details and registration information are available here.
March 30 - April 2 National Main Streets Conference, Atlanta, GA. With the theme "TEAM Main Street: Teamwork and Entrepreneurship across Main Street," the conference will focus on bringing partners together to foster new ideas for building economic, financial, and business development successes. For the latest news and information, sign up for conference email alerts here.
April 13 Harry Rosenblatt Memorial Speakers' Series, "Heritage at Work for All Generations: Project Snapshots of Preserving Places that Matter," 5:30 PM at Shepard-Pruden Library, Edenton. Reid Thomas, HPO restoration specialist, will be the speaker. For more information call 252-482-4112.
April 13-16 Mid-Century Modern Structures: Materials and Preservation 2015 Symposium, Drury Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, MO. Focusing primarily on the history, use, and preservation of materials found in Mid-Century Modern architecture, the three-day symposium will provide in-depth understanding of the complex issues associated with the preservation of these structures. Special emphasis will be on modern architectural metals, but presentations on other materials, such as concrete and curtain wall structures, will be included. The call for papers/posters and registration information can be found at this page.
April 15-18 National Council on Public History Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. This year's conference is organized around the theme of "History on the Edge" and will offer a program of sessions, tours, working groups, keynote addresses, and workshops. Visit this page for more information and to read the full conference program.
April 17-18 Edenton Pilgrimage of Historic Homes, with presentations about the "Oldest Dated House in North Carolina" by dendrochronologist Michael Worthington, at the Edenton Council Chambers. Presentations are at 1 PM on Friday and 11 AM on Saturday. Click here for more information.
April 25 Historic Preservation Trades Fair, Edgecombe Community College, Tarboro. Crafters from North Carolina and the Southeast region will have booths, demonstrations, and displays about historic preservation. Home owners, woodworkers, construction firms - anyone with an interest in preserving buildings is encouraged to participate. Check the website for updated information.
May 14-16 Building Foundations: Building A New Culture For Building Craft Education and Industry, Savannah, GA. The Savannah Technical College Center for Traditional Craft in partnership with the Preservation Trades Network and the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture & Urbanism (INTBAU) USA, will host the 5th International Trades Education Symposium (ITES). For details, see ptn.org.
May 15 Historic Preservation Commission Training, Wake Forest Historical Museum, 414 N. Main Street, Wake Forest, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Open to other commissions. Sponsored by the Wake Forest Historic Preservation Commission and the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission in cooperation with the State Historic Preservation Office. Contact Laurie Mitchell at 919-807-6575 or [email protected] for more information.
June 17-19 National Rosenwald Schools Conference: Sharing the Past → Shaping the Future, Durham, NC. Riding the wave of the wildly successful 2012 Centennial Rosenwald Schools conference in Tuskegee, AL, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is partnering with the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Preservation Durham, the Conservation Trust of North Carolina, and others to sponsor a second national Rosenwald schools conference that will feature thirty educational sessions, poster sessions, field sessions at area schools, and other thematic tours. For more information in the coming months, see this page. Click here to sign up to receive conference updates by email.
June 17 - 20 National Underground Railroad Conference, "Into the Light: Striving for Freedom," Hilton Head Island, SC. For more information about this conference organized by the National Park Service, contact Diane Miller, National Program Manager, National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program, 402-661-1588, [email protected] or Sheri Jackson, Southeast Regional Coordinator, 404-507-5635, [email protected]. See this page for more.
September 16-18 Save the Date! 2015 Annual Preservation North Carolina Conference, Salisbury. Keynote speakers are Don Rypkema and Tom Mayes. Go ahead and book your hotel room now. Click here for details
October 8 - 10 2nd Annual Slave Dwelling Project Conference, North Charleston, SC. The conference's mission is to convene attendees from around the United States and abroad to exchange ideas and resources and to share perspectives and solutions for preserving extant African American slave dwellings for future generations. For more details go to this page.
Adventures in Preservation is a non-profit that offers trips to heritage sites around the world to teach participants conservation and preservation skills while helping conserve historic sites. Please see the schedule on their website for trips in 2015, including one in Virginia that features archaeology and preservation. Visit the organization's website for more.
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Please send any comments or suggestions to Jessica Dockery at [email protected] . Please forward this newsletter to others who might be interested in the information.
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NPS/NAPC Short Course: