Greensboro's Treasured Places

A Page is Turned for Irving Park Landmark

One of Greensboro’s classic residences of the “Country House” movement has been sold, and plans are underway for a thorough refurbishment and restoration.

The Sarah and Alexander Worth McAlister House located at 700 Country Club Drive in Irving Park has been sold to Elizabeth and David Johnson of Greensboro. The couple will make the McAlister House the primary residence for their family.

Plans for the house began in 1918, and it is considered one of the most outstanding examples of the North Carolina work of noted Philadelphia architect Charles Barton Keen. Keen is most remembered locally as the architect of Reynolda House in Winston-Salem, but Keen also designed three houses in Greensboro’s Irving Park that are stylistically related. Keen practiced a distinctive interpretation of Colonial Revival architecture that included stucco walls, classically inspired entryways, and green tile roofs; all details that can be found in the McAlister House.

The house is also among an impressive number of residences in Greensboro that sought to emulate the country homes of the landed gentry in Edwardian England. Wealthy patrons in Greensboro commissioned high-profile architects along the eastern seaboard to design their estates, including A. Raymond Ellis, R. Brognard Okie, Luther Lashmit, Mott Schmidt as well as Keen.

Keen, a native Philadelphian, is widely recognized today as one of the most prolific and popular designers of American "Country Houses". A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania in 1889, he began his career as a draftsman working for several Philadelphia architects before he partnered with Frank Mead to found their own firm. The partnership lasted from 1894 to 1901, during which time the pair focused primarily on residential commissions. After Mead left Philadelphia, Keen worked independently, practicing along the east coast from Maine to Florida. With his commission of Reynolda House in 1913, Keen cultivated such demand for his work among Carolina patrons that he relocated his offices to Winston-Salem in 1923.

The McAlister home was the first commission that Keen received in the Gate City. The McAlister’s were prominent in social circles in Greensboro. As the founder of Pilot Life Insurance Company and its president from 1908 until 1931, McAlister also served as a civic leader instrumental in the development of North Carolina’s public welfare system. He was  president of the Southern Real Estate Company, responsible for developing the Irving Park and Sedgefield communities in the city.

For the McAlisters, Keen designed a classically detailed 10,000 square foot residence aligned along a linear axis with most rooms accessed by a single corridor. The principle façade features unusual stippled stucco walls, pergolas, French doors, and a porch and sunroom all united beneath a green tile roof. The north façade, unseen from the street, features a demilune attic window, a dramatic Palladian window and Federal period entryway. The interior of the home incorporates a variety of Colonial Revival mantles, a wood-paneled library, pocket doors, and a sweeping staircase.

During the McAlister’s residency the estate saw a number of changes. Property to the west was sold to Spencer Love who constructed a Virginian Colonial-style house, and property to the east was purchased by Martha and Ralph Price who erected a home designed by architect Mott Schmidt. Upon the deaths of the McAlisters, the house was sold to Jessamine and Hargrove "Skipper" Bowles, Jr in 1951. More recently, the residence was the home of Gene and Katherine Preyer Dematteo beginning in 1988.

The house was recognized as part of the Irving Park National Register Historic District in 1994, which provides tax credits for certified restoration efforts. The property was designated a Guilford County Landmark Property in 2004 which affords the property tax abatements as long as the historic features of the property are maintained. The Johnsons arecurrently working through the process to approve designs and are expected to begin construction shortly.

High Point's Historic Model Farm House Donated for Preservation

One of North Carolina’s most interesting Civil War-era historic sites has been given by its former owner to Preservation Greensboro’s Development Fund, which in turn plans to sell the property to a buyer who presents the best plan to preserve the property.

The Model Farm is located at 2058 Brentwood Street in the southern section of High Point. The house was constructed around 1867 just after the Civil War by Quakers, and stands as an important site representing Quaker history. It was important for providing new agricultural technology to farmers in the state that were suffering from the devastation caused by the Civil War. During the 1870s and 1880s, the farm attracted a great deal of attention for its progressive and innovative agricultural practices.  It was so successful that North Carolina Governor Jonathan Worth proclaimed the farm as the “only green spot” in the Carolinas.

The two-acre tract of land contains the original farmhouse, a 2,300 square foot home with many historic details such as a wide front porch, a three-sided bay window bay, and arched windows in the walk-in attic. Interior appointments reflect Quaker values of simplicity and include high-ceilings, plaster walls and ceilings, and running water. These amenities were novel in the South in the years after the Civil War. Due to the site’s deep history and unusual features, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.

The property was donated to the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund, Inc. on December 27, 2011 by former owners Ruth and Bruce Whitten of Manteca, California.  The gift was made through a deed that incorporates preservation restrictions requiring a working dialog between future owners of the Model Farm and Preservation Greensboro to ensure that the house and its charming details are refurbished and remain intact for future generations to enjoy. This is the first property in High Point to enjoy the protection of an easement through Preservation Greensboro, and the ninth in Guilford County. Other historic properties protected with easements established and administered by Preservation Greensboro are located in Greensboro and Whitsett.

According to Benjamin Briggs, a resident of High Point and Executive Director of Preservation Greensboro, “we are grateful that Ruth and Bruce Whitten place such a value on our North Carolina Quaker heritage that they saw the opportunity to donate the house as a way to benefit the entire community. Their generosity will allow the historic Model Farm a chance to be reconditioned for future uses that will secure its place in the twenty-first century!”

The Model Farm will be sold to a prospective purchaser who will enter into a rehabilitation agreement with Preservation Greensboro providing that all plans and modifications to the property as part of its rehabilitation and/or restoration are subject to final approval by the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund.  Interested parties should contact Benjamin Briggs at 336-272-5003 to further discuss Preservation Greensboro’s process for partnering with a purchaser who will acquire and rehabilitate the Model Farm property.

Due to its historic significance, the Model Farm has access to tax credits and deferments. Tax credits from the State and perhaps from the Federal government could be incorporated into restoration plans depending on the property’s final use. In addition, the property is recognized as a Guilford County Landmark, a designation that allows for a 50% property tax deferment in exchange for preserving the historic character of the site.

The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund was initially formed in 1988 and completes its mission by acquiring ownership or other legal interests (such as preservation easements) in historic properties, or by identifying partners to rehabilitate and protect historic properties throughout Guilford County.  Its first project was the purchase and resale of the 1845 Troy-Bumpass House, a Greek Revival home in the heart of Greensboro’s College Hill historic district. The house was restored in 1992 and today serves the community as an inn under the jurisdiction of preservation easements. Recent projects include the sale of a Craftsman Bungalow in the Fisher Park neighborhood of Greensboro that had been under a demolition order to a purchaser who will restore it, as well as the relocation of several historic cottages in the Glenwood neighborhood of Greensboro to avoid their demolition in connection with the expansion of UNCG’s campus.

Historic House in Fisher Park Saved from Destruction

The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund has sold the Sweeney – Penn House at 910 Magnolia Street in the Fisher Park neighborhood.  The house was purchased by Cheryl Pratt and Tracy Pratt, AIA and stands as one of Greensboro’s best examples of Craftsman design. The couple will commence a meticulous restoration of the property that has been vacant almost ten years.

The Sweeney – Penn House (image, right) was constructed around 1917. The first occupants were Madge and Roy Sweeney. Roy Sweeney was a traveling salesman. The couple owned the home only 18 months before selling it to Sue and John Thomas Penn. Thomas Penn was Vice President of Southern Atlantic Lumber Company, a wholesaler of North Carolina grown pine and oak. In 1921 the home was purchased by Emily and Charles McIver, the eldest son of UNCG founder of the same name.

Ordered to be demolished in 2009 by the City of Greensboro for its deteriorated condition, the Sweeney – Penn House was part of a complicated estate that was unsettled and therefore could not be sold to new owners. The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund worked with the owner of the property to finalize the estate and then sought qualified buyers to purchase and properly restore the home. After several truckloads of personal items were removed by volunteers, the house was featured on Preservation Greensboro’s 2011 Tour of Historic Homes showcasing Fisher Park and Aycock neighborhoods in May when hundreds enjoyed its distinctive architectural details (image, right). This summer, the Fund negotiated an agreement to sell the home to Greensboro residents Cheryl and Tracy Pratt. The couple will thoroughly restore the Craftsman-design of the house, including unusual latticework in the eaves and Arts and Crafts interior design elements.

The property was sold with a preservation easement attached to the deed that will require a working dialog between future property owners of the Sweeney – Penn House and Preservation Greensboro to ensure that the house and its charming details are refurbished and remain intact for future generations to enjoy. This is the first such property in Fisher Park to enjoy the protection of an easement, and the eighth in Guilford County. Other properties protected with in easements the county include the Bumpass – Troy House in College Hill and the Esther Barker House on Cedar Street.

According to Benjamin Briggs, Executive Director of Preservation Greensboro, “we are pleased that we have been able to save this house from demolition. It is one of the best examples of Craftsman architecture in the city. The Pratt’s promise to be wonderful stewards of this home that will now be the best protected in all of Fisher Park!”

The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund was initially formed in 1988 and completes its mission by acquiring ownership or other legal interests (such as preservation easements) in historic properties, or by identifying partners to rehabilitate and protect historic properties.  Its first project was the purchase and resale of the 1845 Troy-Bumpass House, a Greek Revival home in the heart of Greensboro’s College Hill historic district. The house was restored in 1992 and today serves the community as an inn under the jurisdiction of preservation easements. The second project involved the purchase of the 1855 D. P. Foust House, a Queen Anne farmhouse threatened by development of a golf course. The home was restored in 1993 and remains a private residence today with preservation easements in place.

Innovative Partnership Works to Preserve Homes in Glenwood Neighborhood

The Glenwood Neighborhood is the scene of an innovative partnership that is working to preserve historic houses as part of the expansion of the UNCG campus.

The partnership includes the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund, a think-tank of
preservation-oriented professionals affiliated with Preservation Greensboro Incorporated, and officials from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The collaborative effort will result in fewer structures being destroyed, fewer tons of building materials being sent to landfills, and a stronger neighborhood featuring the craftsmanship and charm of historic homes.

The Development Fund, which maintains a pool of capital that it wields strategically to catalyze preservation projects, is now poised to relocate three houses in the 800 blocks of Highland Avenue and Gregory Street. The Development Fund acquired the houses, which were built in the 1910s and 1920s, from UNCG. The two homes from Highland Avenue are Craftsman bungalows and the house from Gregory Street is a Queen Anne cottage. All three houses will be relocated to vacant lots in the 800 block of nearby Haywood Street where they will join a fourth house that will remain on its original foundations and also be rehabilitated by the Development Fund.

The three houses to be moved are already “jacked up” on steel beams and began rolling through Glenwood to their new locations this morning. The moves are expected to continue into Saturday, December 17 and possibly even Monday, December 19. The Development Fund has contracted with Blake Moving Company of Greensboro, a nationally recognized house mover, to perform the moves. All three houses, once moved and rehabilitated, will be maintained as single family residences, along with the fourth house adjacent to them.

The impending UNCG project will provide a $200 million mixed-use village development for UNCG
that will initially accommodate 800 students just south of West Lee Street in an area formerly
composed of historic houses, light industrial buildings, and vacant lots. The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund has worked over the past year to identify historic houses that were salvageable as well as vacant lots along the fringe of the project to which houses could be relocated.

Preservation Greensboro’s Executive Director Benjamin Briggs remarks, “This project exemplifies the innovative spirit of our city as we find a solution that meets the needs of the University as well as the positive impact of historic preservation in Glenwood. In the end, this will result in a streetscape of vintage houses that otherwise would have been relegated to the landfill.”

Upon completion, all four houses will be restored, and their futures will be monitored through a preservation easement that will focus on the maintenance, appearance, and use of the properties. “This is a way that we can actively work with Glenwood residents to assure that the houses are well maintained into the future. That is what historic preservation is all about.”

All four houses should be restored within the next year, and the Development Fund is seeking interested buyers, who will have the option of taking on some aspects of the restoration work themselves.

The Preservation Greensboro Development Fund is an affiliate nonprofit to Preservation Greensboro, and was founded in 1988. It has preserved several historic structures such as the Bumpass-Try House in College Hill, the Bowman House on Bellevue Street, and the Esther Barker House now located on Cedar Street.

Ownership of Blandwood Conveyed to Preservation Greensboro

Ownership of Blandwood Mansion and Carriage House, a National Historic Landmark property located in downtown Greensboro, has been transferred from the John Motley Morehead Memorial Commission to Preservation Greensboro Incorporated.

Preservation Greensboro Incorporated is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic and architectural treasures in Greensboro. Established in 1966, the organization’s first project was the preservation and restoration of Blandwood on its two-acre site at 447 West Washington Street. In 1969, Blandwood was deeded to the John Motley Morehead Memorial Commission, an entity created by the North Carolina General Assembly ten years prior, as a step in transferring Blandwood to the State of North Carolina for use as a museum. Since that time, Preservation Greensboro has leased Blandwood from the Commission, and opened the house as a museum in 1976.

Recent overtures made by representatives of North Carolina state government have shown interest in reducing the number of state commissions such as the John Motley Morehead Memorial Commission. In the context of an uncertain future for the Commission, Commissioners voted unanimously to transfer ownership of Blandwood to Preservation Greensboro with a preservation easement that will assure the stewardship of the property as a museum into the future.  

According to Anne Daniel, chair of the John Motley Morehead Memorial Commission “we are pleased that the transfer of Blandwood to Preservation Greensboro moved smoothly and we are delighted that PGI, a conscientious and meticulous custodian of the Mansion for many years, is now the owner of John Motley Morehead's historic home.”

Preservation Greensboro has raised funds for Blandwood since 1966 and that role will continue. A majority of funds are raised through donations and special events such as the Blandwood Ball. Blandwood receives no state funding.

Preservation Greensboro’s Executive Director Benjamin Briggs remarks, “The significance of Blandwood to our state’s history assures that we will continue to operate the house as a museum for citizens and visitors to Greensboro. Few sites embody the history of our city and state as does Blandwood.” 

The earliest portions of Blandwood Mansion were built around 1795 by Charles Bland as a four-room farmhouse. By 1827, attorney John Motley Morehead occupied the house with his wife and eight children. Morehead successfully ran for Governor of North Carolina twice, in 1840 and 1842 on a platform of improved transportation, education, and social reform. He is remembered today as the Father of Modern North Carolina based on his progressive agenda. In 1844, Governor Morehead invited architect Alexander Jackson Davis of New York City to design additions to his home. His design today represents the earliest example of Tuscan Villa design standing in the United States.

Architectural historian Catherine Bishir recognized Blandwood as the “embodiment of the antebellum spirit of improvement” – including innovative features such as a central prospect tower, sliding-sash windows with louvered blinds, and formal rooms featuring imported marble mantels and plaster crown moldings. Blandwood also contains an exceptional collection of antebellum decorative arts and Morehead family items. The site is open to visitors six days a week. North Carolina school groups are admitted for free with advanced notice.

According to Briggs, “North Carolina has many architecture treasures, and Blandwood stands among the most important in the nation as a turning point in American design. Greensboro is fortunate to have such as distinguished property in the heart of the city, and we will work to engage this property with all of the great projects happening downtown.”

Preservation Greensboro Incorporated is the city’s only non-profit membership organization dedicated to the protection of architecturally significant places. PGI’s programs range from the Tour of Historic Homes to preservation awards, children’s activities and an online newsletter. Its community initiatives include Architectural Salvage of Greensboro, Blandwood Mansion and Museum Shop, the Blandwood Carriage House, the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund, and the Blandwood Ball.

Neighborhoods Pondered for National Register Historic District Status

After years of disinterest in the designation of National Register Historic Districts, Guilford County is experiencing a resurgence of activity.

Guilford County was early to understand the benefits of listing historic districts to the National Register of Historic Places.  The National Register program was authorized by the National Preservation Act of 1966 as communities across the country began to reflect on their architectural history as a catalyst for growth instead of an obstacle to progress. Properties can be nominated individually as a property – or as an ensemble as a district. Designation is an honor, and assurance that the significance of these properties and districts will be considered in the planning of federal undertakings. Guilford County contains 66 individual properties listed on the National Register, distinct from districts.

National Register Historic Districts are also distinguished from local overlay historic districts by tax credit opportunities and appearance standards. These key differences are often overlooked or misunderstood. National Register Historic Districts allow property owners the option of participating in the use of historic preservation tax credits through a process known as a Certified Restoration through the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office in Raleigh.

In contrast, local historic districts are managed through local planning offices and include community appearance standards. Guilford County has only six local historic districts administered through local authorities, and they include iconic neighborhoods of Johnson Street and Sherrod Park in High Point; Oak Ridge; and Greensboro’s College Hill, Fisher Park, and Aycock.

Some neighborhoods operate under both National Register and local historic district designation.

Guilford’s first National Register Historic District listing was the Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in 1966. The nomination included 2,200 acres of land on which the pivotal battle of the southern campaign of the American Revolution was held. Just a few years later, a much different property was inscribed to the National Register – the Jamestown Historic District (image, right). Encompassing the county’s oldest community, the district included Mendenhall Plantation and the Shubal Coffin houses, both of which were threatened with demolition by the widening of Main Street through town. Upon designation of district by the National Park Service, plans for the road project were cancelled.

Additional National Register Districts followed throughout the county following the excitement generated by the nation’s Bicentennial in 1976, including the Oakdale Cotton Mill Village in Jamestown (1976), Downtown Greensboro (1982), and Oak Ridge Military Academy (1983).

In the mid 1980s, citizens and municipalities began to understand the stabilizing influence of National Register designation on property values, and cache the honor provided neighborhoods in marketing and community pride. Between 1988 and 1995, seventeen National Register Historic Districts were created in Guilford County to honor architectural resources as diverse as Greensboro’s Bennett College (image, right), White Oak New Town Mill Village, the Oakwood neighborhood in High Point, and the Palmer Memorial Institute in Sedalia. Greensboro’s remarkable array of listings was through a partnership between the City and Preservation Greensboro to commission preliminary surveys to increase the number of inscriptions in the Gate City.

Since the designation of Irving Park in 1995, the last major residential district created in Greensboro, National Register historic district listings fell precipitously. Whitsett was the only new National Register district through the end of the millennium, and in the first decade of the twenty-first century, a modest number of five districts were created countywide: the Carpenter Farm near Sedalia, Grimsley High School, the crossroads of Summerfield, and Washington (image, right) and West High streets in High Point.

As Guilford’s pace of National Register Historic District creation eased, other communities ramped-up efforts to provide incentives for owners to restore older homes. In Winston-Salem, the Ardmore neighborhood included 2,093 structures spread over 6,000 acres of land along Miller Street in 2004. Between 2001 and 2005, Durham saw inscription of several historic neighborhoods that included almost 2,000 historic structures. In Raleigh, a single National Register Historic District on the city’s west side listed 1,157 buildings in 2003. Counties across the state quickly surged ahead of Guilford in the utilization of tax credits as investment incentives for residents of older neighborhoods.

However, recent activity in both High Point and Greensboro could reverse that trend and dramatically expand the scope of National Register Historic Districts in the county. Once again seen as a catalyst for neighborhood investment through the Certified Restoration process, residents and municipalities are investigating the creation of two large districts.

In High Point, a section of the city that includes Emerywood, Johnson Street and Brantley Circle could be recognized as a National Register Historic District (map, right). With a wealth of early twentieth-century housing stock and some of North Carolina’s best examples of Period Revival architecture, designation could enable more that 600 property owners access to restoration tax credits for their renovation activities.

In the Gate City, the Sunset Hills neighborhood could replace Fisher Park as the city’s largest National Register Historic District with perhaps as many as 720 buildings included (map, right). Filled with charming Period Revival-style cottages, grassy parks and curved drives, the neighborhood is increasingly recognized across the city as a historic resource rife with history. The process of nomination will likely reveal associations with notable past citizens such as architect Lorenzo S. Winslow, developer A. K. Moore, and entrepreneur Paul C. Lindley.

The attractiveness of National Register designation is its flexibility. Although property owners may still maintain (or destroy) their properties as they wish, incentives available in the form of tax credits reward those who strive to apply the Secretary of Interior’s Standards to their restoration project. In doing so, residents receive a 30% income tax credit if expenses exceed $25,000 within a 24 month period from the state. Commercial and rental properties (defined as “income-producing” by officials) can earn even higher credits through state and federal applications. Beyond financial benefits, the documentation of neighborhood history as part of the National Register nomination process is invaluable for neighborhood promotion and pride.

With a struggling economy and a renewed interest in stabilizing property values and the tax base, the renewed interest in National Register Historic Districts is understandable. Property owners may manage their individual holdings as they wish, however incentives are available for others who wish to invest with an eye to history. It is a win-win situation for stable and older neighborhoods.

Both projects are in early stages. More information will be posted in relation to these two projects as they develop.

Cold War Communications History Fades in Downtown Greensboro

Before cell phones ruled our world, long distance communication was handled through a national network of radio towers managed through a division of AT&T known as the Long Lines Department. Long lines (as opposed to local short lines) referred to long distance communications between larger regions, countries or continents, and the system relied on a complex series of relay towers that transmitted signals from point to point to serve distant customers. One such relay tower was located in downtown Greensboro atop the Southern Bell/AT&T building at the corner of West Market and South Eugene streets.

The first relay system was established between Philadelphia and New York in 1945. With a higher carrying capacity than copper wire, and more easily expanded than wire networks, the system utilized high frequency microwave bandwidth to transfer information directly from antennas (horns) atop towers by way of a focused beam.

The towers, many of which were erected in the 1950s and 60s, were part of the government’s Cold War defense-era communications plan. In some cases, towers were insulated with concrete in order to survive nuclear blasts, and in other cases the microwave horns were covered with a protective shield to protect against the elements as well as radioactive fallout.

The era of microwave relay systems began to wane in the 1980s as demand for bandwidth capacity necessitated the construction of a new network of fiber optic cables. Fiber optic strands, made of glass, transmit a great deal more information than microwave transmissions. Additionally, satellite transmissions increased capacity and further antiquated the relay system. As relay towers were abandoned, many of them were retrofitted to carry cellular technology.

This was not the case in downtown Greensboro, where workers are busy dismantling the approximately 200 foot tower. The building stood as the third tallest structure on the Gate City skyline from the time it was built around 1971 until 1990 when additional office buildings were constructed. Today, the relay tower remains the highest structure west of Greene Street and still dominates the skyline of the city from the west.

Workers began dismantling the structure in the first week of August; the first signs of change in the removal of the giant protective horns that occupied the top level of the tower. Later work has removed the top level of the superstructure, and workers are now removing the lowest open floor. No building or demolition permits were required or issued for the removal of the equipment and supporting tower since the North Carolina Building Code exempts equipment owned and operated by utilities.  Although the current work has removed the antenna equipment platforms, it is not known if plans include removal of the entire tower, or if some element will remain for future use. 

New List Updates Concerns for Old Places

Greensboro is a city endowed with numerous treasured places, yet from time to time, some of these places are threatened with destruction. Redevelopment, facility expansion, inappropriate new development, and even neglect are themes in 2011 that cause concern among citizens who value places that hold unique personality and character. The Treasured Places Watch List was formulated in 2005 to illustrate our community’s interest in important historic places that are threatened in various ways. It has served as a spotlight that has gained the attention of many public news organizations, including the News and Record and WUNC Public Radio.

Preservation Greensboro was established by a group of determined citizens in 1966 who established a community network that could offer alternatives to the destruction of historic resources. In the spirit of this civic outreach, Preservation Greensboro offers assistance to property owners in understanding tools available for restoration and conservation of your historic property. Tools include generous federal and state tax credits administered through the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, as well as property tax deferral through designation by the Guilford County Historic Preservation Commission. Additional easement programs and property marketing is available through Preservation Greensboro.

Below is a list the "most watched" Treasured Places in Greensboro for 2011.

A&T’s Heritage Row
This historic community along Bluford Street overlooks the A&T campus to the south. Platted around 1900, the street was a convenient location for professors and administrators who built fashionable Craftsman bungalows and rectilinear Foursquares with generous front porches beneath pendulous oaks. The oldest home on the street is Nelson Station at 903 Bluford Street. It was constructed around 1903 as the home of Agnes and Walter Nelson. Mr. Nelson taught in A&T’s Mechanical Department. Their Queen Anne-style house features turned porch posts with sawn brackets. A block east is the Bluford-Jeffries House at 1007 Bluford Street. This handsome American Foursquare house was constructed in 1916 and features Prairie-inspired details and served as the home of Hazel and Dr. F. D. Bluford. Dr. Bluford was hired by A&T in 1916 where he quickly rose through the ranks to become President from 1925 until his death in 1955.

What to watch for
Bluford Street began to change in the late twentieth century as homeowners retired or moved away and their homes were converted for rental use. Poorly maintained older homes have increasingly been condemned and destroyed for parking or multi-tenant housing. As neighborhood land values continued to decline, A&T is taking the opportunity to expand its campus north across the street. The current campus master plan calls for the streetscape to be destroyed and replaced with green space within a 10-15 year timeline.

Adamsleigh
Located in the Sedgefield neighborhood, Adamsleigh is an estate that features a sprawling 15,000 square foot manor house coupled with a caretaker’s cottage, a pond, two swimming pools, gardens, and other outbuildings. Greensboro’s grandest manor house was designed for their clients Elizabeth and John Hampton “Hamp” Adams by Luther Lashmit, a talented architect in the offices of the Winston-Salem firm Northup-O’Brien. Though plans were finalized the week of the October 29th 1929 “Black Tuesday” stock market crash, work on the opulent house continued without pause. Adamsleigh is the only known work of Lashmit in Greensboro. The eclectic Renaissance-inspired English Tudor style architectural theme includes a covered porte-cochere for arriving guests, a cylindrical stair tower topped by a conical roof, a classically-inspired entry-way to a flagstone terrace and lawn, and a stunning array of hand-forged wrought iron that graces windows, doors and a weathervane.

What to watch for
Though the estate has been little changed since the 1930s, and a majority of decorative treatments, finishes, and fixtures remain from the original period of construction, the property is currently vulnerable to destruction for redevelopment for new homes. As the city’s largest house, opportunities exist to return the home to its splendor using local, state and federal abatements and tax credits, but the home remains on the market years after being listed.

Fisher Park’s Sacred Sector
Architectural historians have referred to the Fisher Park neighborhood as one of the state’s premiere streetcar suburbs. It features remarkably varied housing that is enhanced by sanctuaries designed by prestigious architects such as Hobart Upjohn and Albert C. Woodroof. As components of the whole, its homes, religious buildings, parks, and cemetery contribute to one of North Carolina’s most interesting urban neighborhoods, but sometimes conflicting uses expose fault lines in the future appearance and use of the community.

What to watch for
As a true urban neighborhood that blends diverse architecture and streetscapes within the context of a busy city, Fisher Park can’t afford to lose its treasured places. One of the neighborhood’s earliest residences, the Queen Anne-style Holleman House, was purchased by a nearby church and destroyed last year. Another home on Smith Street was destroyed the year before. A 2009 workshop brought the community and area congregations together to develop proactive and forward thinking plans. By recognizing the community as a whole, and not limiting it to its component parts, new perspectives may be gained on ways to progress this historic neighborhood into the future.

Foreclosed Properties
As the country processes the impact of the Great Recession of 2008, banks are developing a new tool for disposing of foreclosed properties. In some cities, especially those with high vacancy rates and low property values, banks are exploring demolition of houses to reduce carrying costs and increase neighborhood values. Vacant houses are seen as a liability to occupied houses in the same street, and the cleared property is often converted into open space and community gardens, or donated to the local communities. Here in Guilford County, hundreds of properties – many in low-income neighborhoods with pre-1950 housing stock, are currently in foreclosure. Any plans for easing these properties out of bank ownership that includes demolition could be devastating for historic neighborhoods.

What to watch for
Guilford County, including Greensboro and High Point, are fortunate to not have overwhelming numbers of abandoned houses seen in larger cities of the Rust Belt. However, older neighborhoods such as Glenwood and Asheboro Square in Greensboro, and areas of southwestern High Point are particularly vulnerable due to low property values and high vacancy rates. Several nonprofit organizations are available to work with area banks to develop creative reuse opportunities for older houses, Preservation Greensboro being a prime example!

Glenwood
Originally platted as a series of neighborhoods with names such as Silver Run Park, Jackson Park, Mt. Vernon Heights, and Piedmont Heights, the entirety is today recognized as Glenwood due to the primary avenue that featured a streetcar line connecting the community to the city center. The houses of Glenwood reflect a broad period of architectural styles and forms ranging from early Queen Anne, Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Foursquare and a Shotgun House. The construction methods for some homes were innovative; homebuyers could select plans from a catalog, and all materials arrived at the site ready to assemble. Grove Street is recognized as a commercial center of the neighborhood and is home to eclectic venues such as the Glenwood Community Book Shop, Glenwood Coffee and Books, and Glenfest held each spring.

What to watch for
Glenwood was the focus of city planners in 2008 when a Neighborhood Plan was created. The plan sought to address concerns of residents such as declining condition of housing stock, traffic issues, crime, and development. Since the report, the nearby University of North Carolina at Greensboro has announced plans to extend its campus into the northern blocks of the neighborhood. Meanwhile, disinvestment has continued in the southern blocks where several businesses have closed along Grove Street. Careful coordination with UNCG could enhance the northern edge of the neighborhood, and incentivizing property investment through National Register tax credits might energize Grove Street.

Historic District's Condemned Houses
In spite thirty years of protection through the city’s preservation ordinance, historic resources within Greensboro’s three designated districts remain vulnerable, and some are threatened with demolition. Although historic district designation has proven to stabilize neighborhoods, encourage reinvestment, and to increase property standards and values, the districts are presented with challenging problems that threaten their success.

What to watch for
A College Hill fire on June 6th illustrates the challenges often encountered in historic districts. A grand 1905 home suffered fire, smoke, and water damage from an accidental blaze. The owners of the property, though insured, were not able to restore the building through proceeds, and sought demolition of the century-old home. The request for demolition is tempered by efforts by Preservation Greensboro to save the structure. Greensboro’s historic resources are finite, though legal tools can create a safety net to maintain property values and encourage reinvestment by private citizens. Once the historic fabric of our historic neighborhoods is lost, it can never be regained.

South Elm Street/ Old Greensborough Historic District
Recently, a property owner on South Elm Street was offered over a million dollars for his historic brick storefront. The prospective buyer planned to heavily alter the appearance of 110 year old building for a restaurant including some demolition, but the offer was not seriously considered. This is how Greensboro’s most historic street has been preserved…through pluck and luck. The historic buildings that line South Elm Street are considered by many architectural historians to be the best-preserved “big city” main street in the state, but the future of the Old Greensborough streetscape is tenuous, at best.

What to watch for
As the street continues to grow its profile as a viable commercial location, large companies and chain stores without appreciation of Greensboro’s culture might clash with the city’s celebrated historic core. With no design review or binding guidelines, property owners are free to alter, demolish or construct any building in ways that are not allowed in other major cities in North Carolina. Already, large parking lots replace historic buildings along stretches of the 300 and 500 blocks of the street and other critical buildings are threatened such as the c. 1896 Cascade Saloon at 408-410 South Elm Street.

War Memorial Stadium
World War Memorial Stadium on Yanceyville Street was dedicated in 1926 as the first major monument in North Carolina dedicated to those who made the supreme sacrifice in World War I, and it has remained central to the civic and athletic life of the city to the present. In the words of Mayor Edwin Jeffress, “The soldier boys … wanted something that would be useful; that would help develop mind and body; that would in this way be a perpetual memorial to those who have passed.” The stadium lost its Minor League anchor in 2004, but it remains a popular venue for youth- and college-level baseball. Its structural integrity is questioned by some, and various studies made into the soundness of the poured concrete structure are contradictory.

What to watch for
War Memorial Stadium continues to suffer from long deferred maintenance that has resulted in crumbling masonry, antiquated facilities, and an increasing number of safety issues. A comprehensive refurbishment is necessary to address these issues, and perhaps repurpose the facility for its next 100 years of service. This could be funded using a combination of public and private resources to assure that this landmark remain preserved as a functional memorial to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the enjoyment of future generations.

Zenke Properties
The Zenke family name has been associated with historic preservation in Greensboro for over half a century. In 1950, Virginia and Henry Zenke purchased the c. 1830 Washington Jefferson McConnell house on Blandwood Avenue and carefully renovated the house to meet their needs. In 1966 they were instrumental in preserving Blandwood Mansion as two of the founders of Preservation Greensboro. When the McConnell house was threatened with demolition in 2009 to make way for the new Guilford County Detention facility, the Zenkes devised plans to relocate their home 100 yards to a position facing Blandwood. That effort, paired with the relocation of a c. 1920 brick double-house to an adjacent lot, created a pedestrian-scaled streetscape along West Washington Street where only parking lots had previously existed.

What to watch for
A constantly evolving plan to accommodate parking at the new detention center has once again threatened the Zenke property. In spite of their efforts to preserve their recently relocated and refurbished family home, the site has been named as a possible location for a multi-level parking deck to serve the nearby jail. Alternative sites for the parking deck are located one block east and one block west of the Zenke residence and it is hoped by those in Greensboro’s preservation community that one of these locations will be chosen for the new deck in order to preserve the West Washington Street setting. In the meantime, the Zenkes plans are frozen until a resolution is found.

Purchaser Steps Forward for High Point Landmark

One of High Point’s premiere Queen Anne-style houses and the flagship property of the Johnson Street Historic District will soon have a new owner.

Gloria Halstead, a current resident of Washington DC, will purchase the house in August for use as her private residence. Halstead is a native of High Point, and looks forward to returning to her hometown. “I am hoping to be a part of revitalizing the Main Street area near 901 Johnson Street.  I would love to see a vibrant uptown area!” she stated earlier this week by email.

Constructed in 1908 for Frenchman Ferdinand Ecker, this eye-catching house was the first on Johnson Street and became a landmark as soon as it was built. Ecker brought his family to High Point by way of Brooklyn and established Ecker Glass Company, which supplied the city’s rapidly growing furniture industry. Newspaper editor J.J. Farriss wrote in 1909, “Recently Mr. Ecker has built a beautiful home in the Northern part of the city which is attracting attention on account of its substantial beauty.”

Erected by builder Alfred Abijah Moore of Davidson County, the design of the two-and-a-half-story frame house blends Queen Anne flourishes, such as the wrought-iron rails, cast-iron roof cresting and intricate cut-glass windows, with Colonial Revival elements, such as the dormer windows, modillion cornice and paired Tuscan columns. Originally, the shingles of the roof and second floor were stained a deep green that contrasted with a mustard shade on the first-floor clapboards. In order to ensure the best quality glass, the oversized windows featured plate glass from cross-town rival Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company, which sent their finest material in order to impress their competitor. Interior appointments include quarter-sawn oak trim, massive pocket doors and handsome mantels with caste-iron inserts.

The house gained a great deal of attention in November 1989, when a fire roared through the attic and nearly incinerated the structure. Local historic district regulations delayed demolition of the house, permitting the property to be sold and restored in 1990-1993. In 1993 the property was purchased by Kittinger Furniture Company of Buffalo, NY, which used the home as a corporate residence for entertaining during Furniture Market. Stanley Furniture of Lexington, NC owned the property from 1996 through 2010, when the property was acquired by house flippers. Several items were then sold from the property, such as antique crystal Baccarate chandeliers installed by Kittinger in 1993.

Halstead promises to be a breath of fresh air for the home, which will be used as a private residence for the first time since the 1989 fire. “I'm excited to be a care taker of 901 Johnson Street” she says, “and I look forward to getting involved with the community.”

Halstead comes back to her hometown with a record of community involvement. In the 1970s she worked as an intern for the High Point Planning and Development Department during summers while attending Wake Forest University.  After moving to Washington she served as a Board member for the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, and she worked with the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation in the restoration of Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the Capitol Building.

The Ecker House, which stands on a double lot and includes a 2,400 square foot carriage house, is protected by Preservation Easements held by Preservation North Carolina based in Raleigh.

A Chapter of Greensboro History No Longer a Mystery

The Cedars was clearly an important estate in Greensboro. References to the property could be found on nineteenth century maps of the Gate City, as well as excerpts from select publications. However, no such property was revealed in major publications of Greensboro history as had been done for sites such as Dunleith, Bellemeade, or Blandwood. Historians knew The Cedars as a prominent estate, but the appearance, designer, builder, and patron remained hazy until a recent turn of events provided the key need to unlock the past.

One of the most thorough overviews of The Cedars was found in a 2008 publication entitled the “Westerwood Walking Tour” that celebrated the history of the neighborhood located between College Hill and Fisher Park on the edge of city center. The estate occupied most of the eastern portions of the neighborhood. The publication states:

One large estate west of the city limits, built before 1879, was “The Cedars”, home of Doctor J. T. Battle. Dr. Battle’s estate was bound by the Atlantic and Yadkin Valley railroad tracks near Cedar St., N. Mendenhall St., Guilford Ave, and Lakeview St. Dr. Battle’s large Victorian home was later used by the North Carolina Children’s Home Society. Mr. John Linder, owner of Sun Coal and Seed, bought the home from Dr. Battle. After the Children’s Home Society moved, Mr. Linder remodeled the home into 10 apartments. All that remains of “The Cedars” is an outbuilding, seen behind 609 Courtland Ave. Modern apartment buildings in the 600 block of Fairview St. now stand where Dr. Battle’s large Victorian home was. 

An early map (image, right) of Greensboro clearly indicates The Cedars, then occupied by W. R. Staples, in the above-mentioned location on a bluff just northwest of the village. 

Last week, a key piece of information on the house broadened our knowledge of this estate, and unlocked the mystery once associated with the history of the house.

Researcher John Schumacher of Spokane Washington contacted our offices to inquire about a house photographed and listed in a publication as built in Greensboro and designed by George F. Barber. Barber was a carpenter, architect, and publisher who practiced from his office in Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1888 to his death in 1915. He grew into one of the most successful architects in the country through published architectural catalogues and a monthly magazine. In one such magazine, a photo-montage depicts a grand Queen Anne-style home with wrap-around porches, a porte-cochere, and a octagonal tower that no longer exists in the city (image, right). Although the house is said to have cost $5,800 to $6,000 to build, a quick search of historic inventories revealed no such home. Could this mystery house be The Cedars?

Further information supplied by the Barber researcher included the name of Greensboro rresident John A. Murchison, who purchased plans for a house from the architect in 1898. A search of early directories revealed that John Murchison was a carpenter who lived in numerous locations in the city, but none located in the northwestern sections of the city close to The Cedars. Perhaps Murchison did not commission the house, but purchased the plans on behalf of the owner on instruction to build the home?

With more investigation by Greensboro Historical Museum staff, a page from a 1904 publication was uncovered that matched the Barber publication image. Entitled “Residence and Grounds of Dr. J. T. J. Battle” (image, right), the impressive estate is shown to have stood in a grove of trees and broad lawns.

It is probably that Dora and Dr. Battle purchased The Cedars, previously owned by W. R. Staples, and expanded or replaced the existing home using plans supplied by architect George Barber and craftsmanship provided by carpenter Murchison. Upon completion, the house was among the grandest expressions of Queen Anne architecture that ever existed in the city.

Further research provided insights into the life of Dr. Battle. Dr. John Thomas Johnson Battle (image, right) was born in Wake Forest in 1859, and he graduated from Wake Forest College and from the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Baltimore before establishing his medical practice in Wadesboro NC in 1884. In 1896 he married Dora L. Burns and the newlywed couple moved to Greensboro in 1898 where Battle re-established his private practice became a high profile figure in matters of health and hygiene. He served on the State Board of Medical Examiners from 1902-1908, the Guilford Board of Health from its establishment in 1911 (first County Health Department in the state, second in the nation) until his death in 1940. He served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Wake Forest College and Meredith College, both in Wake County and was among the first in Guilford County to own an automobile!

The Battles sold The Cedars in 1918 to the Guilford Insurance and Realty Company, which rented the house to the Children’s Home Society as plans were drawn for the first phase of the Westerwood subdivision (image, right). Begun in 1919, the successful Westerwood development launched the career of A. K. Moore, a realtor who later developed Sunset Hills and Fairfield.

With the estate subdivided into lots on which rose the charming bungalows that remain today along Mendenhall, Courtland, and Hillside streets, the main house exchanged hands numerous times before it was destroyed in the early 1960s. A modern apartment complex replaced the grand estate that remains on the site today.

Although Greensboro is now documented as once having a George Barber-designed home, the city is no richer in having lost this architectural gem. Landmark properties such as The Cedars were being lost at an alarming rate in the 1960s in the Gate City, which precipitated the establishment of a network of preservation-minded people today known as Preservation Greensboro. With the loss of this extraordinary landmark, other landmark properties continue to be saved for future generations to enjoy.