HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 12-15-2015 - 5a - Joint Public Hearing with the Historic Preservation Commission Regarding the Proposed Designation of the Nicholas Corbett Hester House as an Orange County Local Historic Landmark 1
ORANGE COUNTY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT
Meeting Date: December 15, 2015
Action Agenda
Item No. 5-a
SUBJECT: Joint Public Hearing with the Historic Preservation Commission Regarding the
Proposed Designation of the Nicholas Corbett Hester House as an Orange
County Local Historic Landmark
DEPARTMENT: Environment, Agriculture, Parks PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) Yes
and Recreation (DEAPR)
ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT:
1) Local Landmark Application and Report for Peter Sandbeck, 245-2517
the Nicholas Corbett Hester House
2) Photos and Location Map
3) Minutes of the October 28, 2015 HPC
Meeting -Approval of Proposed Landmark
Application
4) Proposed Landmark Ordinance
5) Letter from State Historic Preservation
Office
PURPOSE: To conduct a joint public hearing with the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)
to receive public comment on the application and proposed ordinance to designate the Nicholas
Corbett Hester House as an Orange County Local Historic Landmark, and then adopt the
ordinance.
BACKGROUND: In 1991, Orange County adopted the "Ordinance Creating the Historic
Preservation Commission (HPC) of Orange County", also referred to as the "Historic
Preservation Ordinance". In 1997, the County adopted the Local Landmark Program, a
voluntary program allowing the HPC to designate properties of local historic and/or architectural
significance, as authorized by NC General Statute 160A-400.1-400.14. One of the HPC's duties
is to recommend properties to the BOCC for local landmark designation. Properties must meet
a high standard of historic and/or architectural significance to be designated as an individual
landmark. The higher standard is appropriate since landmark property owners are eligible for a
50 percent property tax deferral as provided by state law, as long as the property is preserved
and retains its historic character.
The historic landmark designation process, outlined in Article 3 of the County's Historic
Preservation Ordinance, involves several steps culminating with the adoption of an ordinance by
the BOCC for each individual landmark. At its October 28, 2015 meeting the HPC accepted a
Part 2 application (Attachments 1 and 2) from owner Ms. Mimi Logothetis to consider her
property, the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, for designation as an Orange County Local
Historic Landmark. The HPC approved a motion stating that the Hester House possesses
special significance and is worthy of consideration for local landmark designation. The
2
application materials were then submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for
review and comment as required by state law. The SHPO provided the letter at Attachment 5.
The HPC also voted to request a joint public hearing with the BOCC, as required by Section 3.7
of the Historic Preservation Ordinance.
This is a routine joint public hearing required by state enabling legislation and the
County's Historic Preservation Ordinance. Following this joint public hearing, the BOCC and
the HPC will take into consideration public comments, if any. No comments that would cause a
delay or note opposition to the designation are expected, so the HPC has already taken action
to refer the ordinance directly to the BOCC for consideration and adoption following the close of
the joint public hearing.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: Should the Board adopt the proposed ordinance designating the Hester
House as a Local Landmark, the owner of the property would be eligible for a 50-percent
property tax deferral. A preliminary calculation by DEAPR staff shows that the property tax
would be reduced from the present amount of $2,241 to approximately $1,350. A final
calculation will be determined by Tax Administration staff. (The current assessed value for the
home and land - 18.17 acres total - equals $235,500. The estimated assessed value after
Landmark designation equals $140,000 based on the house plus approximately 7 acres being
included in the final designation.)
RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) hold a joint public
hearing with the Historic Preservation Commission to receive public comment on the draft
designation ordinance for the Hester House; 2) close the public hearing; and 3) approve and
authorize the Chair to sign the designation ordinance.
ORANGE COUNTY LOCAL LANDMARK APPLICATION lAttachment 1 3
ORANGE COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT,AGRICULTURE, PARKS AND RECREATION
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
LOCAL LANDMARK APPLICATION
The Orange County Local Landmark Program (LLP)application is a two-part process. Page 1 of the
application represents the first part of the process. Pages 2 and 3 include the core questions regarding
the history and architectural significance of the property. Page 4 is for office use only. Interested
applicants should submit the first part of this application along with a representative selection of current
photographs of the property to preservation staff in the Department of Environment,Agriculture, Parks
and Recreation. Photos should include the exterior of the house, outbuildings, and any other elements--
such as landscaping features or the view from the road—that will give the Historic Preservation
Commission (HPC)a sense of the character of the site,
The HPC will consider the property at its next regularly scheduled meeting. Applicants are encouraged to
attend the meeting to discuss what they feel is'significant about the site. The HPC will use the criteria
system outlined in Pages 5 through 7 to evaluate the site and to determine if the property appears eligible
for the LLP. If the property appears to be eligible, the applicant will be directed to complete the remainder
of the application. This does not mean that a property is being designated to the LLP; rather it means
that the property appears likely to qualify for designation.
The County's historic preservation ordinance requires the submittal of a Survey and Research Report for
each property under consideration for Local Landmark status. Property owners can arrange with
preservation staff to complete the Survey if one is not already on file. The Research Report is an in-depth
analysis of the history and architectural significance of the site, similar to the report used to nominate a
property for the National Register of Historic Places. (See preservation staff for a sample NR
nomination,) If the site is listed in the National Register, the applicant may submit the completed
nomination form for use as the Research Report. Please note, however, that the LLP and the National
Register of Historic Places are two entirely distinct and separate programs.
Pages 2-3 of the Local Landmark application are designed to provide the applicant with the basic
framework to prepare a Research Report. Some applicants, particularly those with experience in chain of
title research, may be able to provide sufficient information in the application to serve as the Report.
Others may need to hire a consultant to research and write the history and architectural description of the
property. Applicants with little or no historic or architectural information on their property should contact
preservation staff to discuss different options for completing this portion of the application.
Once the application form (Pages 2-3) and the Survey and Research Report are completed, preservation
staff will submit the application materials to the HPC for its next regular meeting. The HPC mill pay
particular attention to question#5, the Statement of Significance, to identify the most important elements
of the property that should be preserved when considering future Certificate of Appropriateness
applications. If the HPC accepts the Survey and Research Report preservation staff will forward the
entire application (form, Survey and Report) to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). The HPC
will consider the SHPO's comments at its next regular meeting. If the HPC decides that the property is
eligible for the program it will request a public hearing with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
After the public hearing the HPC will submit its formal recommendations to the BOCC. The BOCC will
make the final decision on whether to designate the property as a Local Landmark.
A flow chart and time-schedule checklist of the process are attached for more information,
4
ORANGE COUNTY LOCAL LANDMARK APPLICATION Page 2 of 7
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PART 1 DATE OFAPPLICATION J`
...................._...............
Please type, if possible, or print. All submitted materials become the S�T :q..Cqgn!y_
Historic Preservation Commission and cannot be returned.
...............................
I. HISTORIC NAME OF PROPERTY (if historic name is not known, use current name or address)
N i Goo -He r r 5 f
2. LOCATION (physical location, not mailing address)
A, Street or State Route/Highway (\J1
B. Township
C. Crossroads CommunitylVicinity of
..........
3. LEGAL OWNER OF PROPERTY(please indicate Mr., Mrs,, Ms., Dr, or other appropriate title)
. . ........ ...........................................................
DAY-TIME
NAME TELEPHONE
FIRM andfor ADDRESS
C�
41" V'� 17-3
L
CITY/STATE ZIP CODE
E-MAIL ADDRESS r) rna co to
BRIEF STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Please provide a brief statement or summary outlining the historical, architecture], and perhaps
landscape, elements that make the site significant. (This statement should be expanded for question#5
of Part 2 of the application.)
t_<-he C-4 Gk) i --_4r y.-
Y-A 41-
V-
� _DrVrJ-'1 41 P r`e S
-a, r ion" e
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*Please submit current pho"t6graphs of the property including all elevations of the main house and any
other important buildings. Please also include general photographs of the property and include any
important landscape features. (if you wish to use digital photography, please submit hard copy printouts.)
'Please also submit a sketch plan of the property showing the footprint of all key buildings and the
location of all driveways or farm roads.
5
ORANGE COUNTY LOCAL LANDMARK APPLICATION Page 3 of 7
T DATE OF APPLICATION
i:. >
E,.
4. GENERAL DATA
A. Date(s)of Building(s):
Original construction
Subsequent additions, if applicable
B. Outbuildings: Yes No ; if yes, number
C. Have any buildings can the property been moved? Yes No
If yes, please give the date, reason, and details of the move. Use an additional sheet if necessary.
D. Approximate Acreage; ctcas
E. Architect and/or Builder/Mason (if known):
F. Original Use:
G. Present Use:
Ij
5. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Please provide a brief statement or summary (on an attached 8 Y2"x 11"sheet)outlining the historical, architectural,
and perhaps landscape, elements that make the site significant—these are the features that are most important to
preserve should you Nish to make changes to the property in the future. For example, "This property was the Taylor
homeplace from the 1850s to 1940s. The Taylors were an important Grange County family who operated the local
sawmill in the it. Marys Road community during the 1870s-1900s. While the house was covered with vinyl siding in
the 1980s and a two-room addition was constructed in the back around 1990, the building still looks like a mid
nineteenth-century farmhouse from the road. It sits on a slight hill. framed by several mature oak and pecan trees.
The house retains Its original roofline, chimneys and front porch, all of which are visible from the road. In addition, the
property still reads as a farm,several outbuildings survive intact including the building which housed the sawmill., the
dairy, sweet potato barn, and smokehouse."
6. ARCHITECTURAL D C I TIO
Describe in a narrative form, (on an attached 8 3/2"x 11"sheet(s)), the architectural features of the rain house and
other buildings can the property. Please include information on any additions and/or remodelings to the buildings,
particularly changes that that may not be apparent in photographs. Please also describe the.setting, such as active
farmland, wooded, rural community, urban neighborhood, etc.
discuss any significant events,personages and/or families associated with the property. (Detailed family genealogies
are not necessary,) Please list any additional sources of information. Only material contained on the form will be
used in the evaluation.
6
ORANGE COUNTY LOCAL LANDMARK APPLICATION Page 4 of 7
. PHOTOGRAPHS/SLIDES
Please provide any additional photographs as necessary to evaluate the site. Photographs should include: all four
sides of the main house, close-ups of any important architectural features such as trim, doors or windows, individual
pictures of outbuildings, and an overall picture of the entire complex. Photographs of important interior features, such
as mantels and stairways, are not necessary but are helpful to get a sense of the architectural significance of the
house.
9. SITE AN/SURVEY/_MAPS
Please include a map showing the location of the property. A sketch asap is acceptable, but please note street and
route numbers. Please provide a site plan shoring the relationship of the main house or building to the driveway and
road, and the relationship of the main house or building to any outbuildings. Please include a"North"arrow.
10. REASON FOR REQUEST
Please offer a brief explanation of hoer you heard about the Local Landmark Programs and why you would like to
participate in it.
✓'y°°'^t—' t N"t a` lv''C_ } j p r. ,s' �"'`;r^<.-p-,,...
4 }
11. If formal l ignated by the County Commissioners, will the property owner seek the tax deferral?
Yes s,/ No Not stare (This information is for budgeting purposes Manly, it will not impact the HPC's
decision toward your application.)
12. A. (SA. `T 3 CONTACT PERSON INFORM AT T ION of ether than owner)
Name e y a a� -V- s t Telephone t S "`
Address9 ' I
City/State tY""t ip Code "z
Signatss ---2' " _..w...w_. y Date ! _
-mail A CIO, C . c �
13. This application is submitted [check one of the following]:
at the request of the owner.
with the owner's knowledge but not at his or her request.
without the owner's knowledge.
(u try: Cultural Resources Specialist
Orange County Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and recreation
P.O.. Box 8181 (306 Revere Road)
Hillsborough, NC 27278
(919) 210-2510
7
S. Statement of Significance
Built in 1881 by a tobacco farmer on property passed down from his father, the
Nicholas Corbett Hester House is a two-story farmhouse embellished with
Victorian-era elements making it the best-preserved example of vernacular
Italianate architecture in rural Orange County. The prominent dwelling,which
replaced a surviving log house as the farm's main residence, chronicles the
prosperity Hester achieved growing primarily tobacco and subsistence crops on his
100-acre farm in the late nineteenth century.After a long period of neglect,the
current owner has completed a careful and substantial restoration of the dwelling,
returning it to its historic appearance while creating a home for modern living.
6. Architectural Description
Nicholas Corbett Hester House
1881
The 1881 Nicholas Corbett Hester House occupies an eighteen-acre site at the
northeast corner of NC 86 North and Allison Road (SR 1500) in rural Cedar Grove
Township in northern Orange County just south of the Caswell County border.
Rolling hills and stretches of open fields and thick forestland characterize this
portion of Orange County. Small watercourses meander through this bucolic
landscape enhancing the well-drained soil that led to agricultural prosperity in the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The Hester House faces west toward NC 86 North, a two-lane state route that
continues north into Caswell County and on to the Virginia state line. A gravel drive
from the east side of NC 86 North leads to the gravel parking area just northwest of
the house. The eighteen-acre house parcel is mostly wooded except at the southwest
corner where the Hester House and its outbuildings stand. The buildings' immediate
surroundings consist of well-tended gardens and landscape features, as well as a
grass-covered lawn.A nineteenth-century hand-dug well is behind the house and
just north of a natural spring.A tall,thick hedgerow likely planted in the 1940s
extends along the south property line and separates the yard from Allison Road.
The Hester House's current owner meticulously restored the house from 2001 to
2009 taking great care to retain as much historic material as possible.Where
architectural elements were missing or extremely deteriorated, she replaced them
with substitutes appropriate to the style of the house.
The Nicholas Corbett Hester House is a two-story, single-pile, frame,vernacular
Italianate house on a brick foundation and sheathed in weatherboard siding.A one-
story, partial-width,low-hipped-roof porch with a front-gabled, two-tiered portico
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Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
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with a quatrefoil vent is centered on the three-bay facade. The porch,which is
topped by a 5-V metal roof, shelters paired narrow doors with arched-head glazing
and lower molded panels. An array of Victorian-era embellishment enhances this
simple house form found commonly in Piedmont North Carolina. Fanciful flat
jigsawn porch brackets, eave brackets with hanging spindle pendants, Italianate
molded window and door hoods, and round gable end attic vents with a sawn
quatrefoil motif enliven the well-preserved dwelling.A wide flush board frieze
extends along the crown of the facade and continues to the gable ends,which are
marked by returns.A pair of rebuilt corbelled brick chimneys rises from the roof
ridge near the dwelling's center. The current owner added a partial-width shed roof
porch with sawn porch brackets and chamfered posts to the north end of the rear
elevation.The main roof and rear porch are covered with 5-V metal panels,while
the front porch has a traditional standing-seam roof of painted terne-coated steel.
All windows are six-over-six, double-hung wood sash, many of which are original.
The interior follows a central-passage plan with center hallways on the first and
second floors. The first floor passage features the prominent open-string staircase
with raised scrolled skirt brackets.A substantial turned newel anchors the stair. It
replaces the original newel,which was removed during a period when the house
stood vacant. The graceful stair displays turned balusters supporting a molded
handrail that is peaked at its center and terminates on the second floor at a smaller
turned newel.At the east end of the central passage is a four-panel door.
Originally, the house contained four rooms of equal size—two downstairs and two
upstairs.The north room on the first floor has been divided to create three spaces
for modern living: a kitchen, bathroom, and small laundry room.A bathroom and
closet have been added to the northern room on the second floor.A two-light door
from the kitchen leads to the back porch. Upstairs, a four-panel wood door leads to
the facade's upper porch.
Finishes throughout the interior are original or have been meticulously restored by
the current owner. Floors are planed boards and ceilings are planed boards with
beading, except in the parlor where the ceiling is drywall.Walls have been
drywalled,but the tall baseboards with finish molding throughout the interior are
original. Doors throughout contain four raised panels, but vary in elaboration. Trim
at the windows is particularly notable consisting of plain casings framed on the
inside with a bead molding.The outside trim of the surrounds are reserved for more
elaborate beveled and half-round molding. Door casings show the same ornate
molding on the outside edge of their casings. Mantels,which are original and occupy
the dwelling's main rooms, are variations on the post and lintel Greek Revival form
following a general pattern of squared pilasters supporting a mantelshelf. The
kitchen mantel has been altered by the removal of its pilasters in order to
accommodate a wood stove, but its shelf and frieze remain intact.A built-in
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October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove,NC 27231
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bookcase east of the mantel in the first floor parlor is a recent addition,but its
simple detailing blends with the rest of the interior.
Outbuildings
Crib
Ca. 1900
A small front-gabled crib with weatherboard siding stands north-northwest of the
house.A four-panel door, likely taken from another building, provides access to the
interior of the center crib whose side elevations are sheathed in slats spaced to
allow for airflow.Two sheds flank the center crib—one is open on the front and the
other is enclosed.A 5-V metal roof crowns the structure.
Log house
Ca. 1850
Just to the northeast of the Hester House stands a single-pen log house occupied by
the Hester family before construction of the main house in 1881.After the house
was built,the cabin served as a kitchen. The side-gabled,v-notched building features
a 5-V metal roof topped by solar panels used specifically to heat water. The cabin
has been altered by the removal of the chimney and expansion of the front doorway,
but retains a west gable-end sash window with a board-and-batten shutter, an east
gable-end sliding board-and-batten shutter, and a batten front door with cast iron
butt hinges. A boxed stair in the northeast corner enclosed with wide hand-planed
boards and wide upper level floorboards remain on the interior.
Well Structure
Ca. 1920
A pyramidal-roofed open-sided structure stands in the backyard to the east of the
house, covered with a metal roof supported by round wood posts. This once
sheltered the nearby 19th century stone well but was moved to the south to provide
shelter for the back-up generator for the solar power system for the main house.
A group of agricultural outbuildings stand about 100 yards east of the house.
The historic outbuildings in this grouping demonstrate the farm's function as a
tobacco farm and the role of tenancy in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
century but are not included within the proposed landmark boundaries.
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October 26,2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
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Tobacco barn
Ca. 1890
A log tobacco barn stands at the southeast corner of the property on a brick and
block foundation. The 5-V metal-roofed building with exposed rafter tails has
weatherboard in its gable ends.An open shed with rafter tails and square wooden
vertical posts shelters a batten door with diagonal bracing on the west elevation.
Tobacco barn/art studio
Ca. 1920, 2002 (renovation into art studio)
Just northwest of the tobacco barn, another early twentieth-century tobacco barn
was converted to a ceramic studio around 2010. The gable-roofed tobacco barn is
sheathed in vertical wood siding with weatherboard in its gable ends. Resting on a
concrete pier and continuous foundation,the barn has been fitted with windows
and a divided-light door.A shed-roofed open shelter occupies the west elevation
and a shed-roofed addition is on the north elevation. A 5-V metal roof covers the
barn.
Open-sided shed
Ca. 1970
The long, rectangular open shed with a 5-V metal gable roof stands just west of the
barn/studio. Round poles support the structure used to store equipment. Built by
Shorty Satterfield of Mebane.
Open-sided shed and kiln
Ca. 1980
A rectangular, flat-roofed shed with pole supports and a poured concrete pad
beneath is just north of the larger shed. Reggie Watson and Leon Oakley built the
structure to shade the front of a bulk barn that stood on the site. Rafter tails are
exposed beneath the 5-V metal roof.A hipped-roof shelter with log supports is at the
north end of the shed and shelters a pottery kiln.
Tenant House
Ca. 1920
The one-and-a-half-story, side-gabled,weatherboard tenant house stands north of
the kiln shed. Resting on a stone foundation,the small dwelling includes a shed-
roofed addition on its west side and a partial-facade shed-roofed porch supported
by a combination of plain and turned posts.A 5-V metal roof tops the dwelling. The
interior is finished in beaded board.
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October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
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Modern workshop
2014
A modern workshop stands north of the tenant house. This new building houses
tools and equipment.
Architecture Context
A small number of I-houses with Victorian-era decorative elements remain in
Orange County, but none exhibits the level of picturesque mode decoration seen on
the Hester House.
The Brown-Faucette (OR 1411) Farm at 3017 Frank Perry Road near Hillsborough
includes an early twentieth-century I-house with a late nineteenth-century rear
wing. A large two-story rear addition dates to the last quarter of the twentieth
century. The house has a weatherboard exterior,vinyl windows, and a hip-roofed
front porch with paneled square columns,turned balusters, and sawnwork brackets.
The front entry is notable: sidelights and a transom set into a molded architrave
frame a double-leaf paneled door.
The circa 1900 Bill Crabtree House (OR 370) at 2013 Damascus Church Road near
Chapel Hill features simple exterior detailing including porch posts with chamfered
edges, sawnwork porch brackets, and a shingled front-facing gable with a circular
vent adorned with a sawn star.All gables have returns, and the two gable ends each
have a stone chimney with sloped shoulders and freestanding brick stacks. Inside,
there is flush-board sheathing at the first floor and headboard walls and ceilings
upstairs. Heart pine flooring remains, as does a hefty turned newel post and similar
slender balusters at the stair rail. The original center stair hall has been opened to
the room to the south. Mantels in the four rooms are identical. The vernacular
design has a simple shelf on a frieze supported by plain pilasters on plinths.The
frieze is nearly plain too, featuring just a pair of shouldered flat arches at the bottom
edge. Stone hearths bring a rusticity to the interior.A circa 1872 log pen serves as
the rear ell for the Crabtree House.
7. Historical Overview
The Nicholas Corbett Hester House stands on the farmstead established by Nicholas
Corbett Hester's father in the first half of the nineteenth century. The senior
Nicholas Hester (1786-1875) was born in Caswell County to Robert and Harriet
Hester. In 1807,he married Elizabeth Jones Hines (1790-1836) and the couple had
eight children. Between 1834 and 1845, Nicholas Hester acquired hundreds of
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October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove,NC 27231
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acres in northern Orange County where he and Elizabeth established a farm. Twelve
slaves lived on the farm in 1830 and fourteen in 1840.1
The 1850 agricultural census for Orange County reported that just over half of
Nicholas Hester's nearly 600-acre farm was under cultivation in 1849. Hester
owned a variety of livestock including horses, cattle, sheep, and swine and he grew
wheat, rye, corn, oats, sweet potatoes,hay and 5,000 pounds of tobacco. The Hester
farm also produced wool and butter.That year, Hester owned sixteen slaves.z
Ten years later, Hester's farm was larger by over 100 acres,but only 150 acres was
under cultivation. However,the cash value of his farm nearly quadrupled from 1850
to $4,000. The types of livestock he raised remained the same, as did the crops he
produced. Tobacco continued as Hester's major cash crop with 6,000 pounds
produced. Twelve slaves lived and worked on the Hester farm and the census
reported one slave house on the farm in 1859.3
The Civil War impacted the Hester Farm, as it did all of the county's farmers.
According to the 1870 agricultural census, Nicholas Hester's farm,which was valued
at only$1,600, contained 60 acres of improved land and 400 acres of woodland.
Hester's livestock herd decreased, as did his crop production. That year,the farm
yielded only 1,000 pounds of tobacco and smaller amounts of wheat, corn, Irish and
sweet potatoes, and hay.4
Nicholas Hester's will from 1867 distributed land to all of his children and
grandchildren. Upon his death in Mississippi in 1875, Nicholas Hester's son,
Nicholas Corbett Hester, received 109 acres where he built his house in 1881. Born
in Orange County in 1836 (d. 1891), Nicholas Corbett Hester enlisted as a sergeant
in the confederate army on March 11, 18.62.5 After he inherited a portion of his
father's farm,he lived in the surviving log house with his wife, Sarah (Sallie) Thomas
(1838-1913).6 The couple had two daughters, Sarah (Sallie Bet) (1877-1951) and
11830 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC; 1840
Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
Z 1850 Census of Agriculture, microfilm, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC;
1850 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
3 1860 Census of Agriculture, microfilm, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC;
1860 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
41870 Census of Agriculture, microfilm, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
5 U. S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line],viewed
on Ancestry.com, 2009, accessed June 16, 2015.
6 U. S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line],Ancestry. corn, 2012,
accessed June 16, 2015.
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October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
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Hattie Mae (1879-1972)7. Nicholas and his family shared the cabin with his brother,
Egbert, and his wife Martha.$
The 1880 agriculture census reported that Nicholas Corbett Hester's farm included
a mix of cultivated land, forest, and unimproved acreage. The value of his farm was
$1,000 including land, fences, and buildings. Hester used fertilizer and employed
full-time farm workers. He had the same mix of livestock his father had raised,but
also chickens. In all, Hester's livestock was valued at$250. Hester grew corn,wheat,
Irish potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Tobacco remained the major crop,with 4,000
pounds produced in 1879. He also had fifty apple trees on one acre.9
Around 1880, Nicholas Corbett Hester hired carpenter Will White to build a new
house on the farm. The current owner has a note written in pencil on a baseboard
concerning lumber from Will White to Nicholas Corbett Hester. In a 1994 interview,
Eleanor Walker, granddaughter of Nicholas and Sallie Hester, described the dwelling
as a"well-built house." She continued that,"they were just, as I say, ordinary
country people, farmers.And of course farmers have never had a great deal.°10
Around the same time he had the house built, Hester acquired eighteen to nineteen
acres across current-day NC 86 North from J.W. Reid, his brother-in-law. 11
Nicholas Corbett Hester died in 1891 and was buried in Prospect Hill in Caswell
County. In 1896,his daughter, Sallie Bet, married J. Clarence Walker in the parlor of
her parents'house and moved to his nearby farm. Their portrait hangs in the parlor.
In 1901,the Walkers returned to the Hester Farm for a year to help her mother,
Sallie. In 1905,the Walkers invited Sallie and her unmarried daughter, Hattie Mae,
to live with them in Graham. In 1920,Jasper and Lula Roberson bought the property
from Walker for$8,300.12 They likely built the one-story ell that was later removed.
7 Hattie May Hester, Certificate of Death, North Carolina State Board of Health, Office
of Vital Statistics,April 6, 1972,viewed on Ancestry.com, accessed June 16, 2015.
8 Mimi Logothetis, draft Part 2 Orange County Landmark Application, no date. In the
Nicholas Corbett Hester House survey file, Orange County Department of
Environment,Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough, NC.
9 1880 Census of Agriculture, microfilm, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
10 Karen Love, interview with Eleanor Walker, March 23, 1994, Burlington, North
Carolina. In the Nicholas Corbett Hester House survey file, Orange County
Department of Environment,Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough,
NC.
11 J.W. Reid et al to N. C. Hester, Orange County Deed Book 49, page 417, November
16, 1881, Orange County Register of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
12 Sallie B. and J. C.Walker to Jasper Roberson, Orange County deed book 78, page
231, October 26, 1920, Orange County Register of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
7
October 26,2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
14
The Robersons could not pay on the deed of trust and Walker repossessed the
property.13
In 1923,Walker sold the 127-acre farm to D.W. Pass for$4,000. In 1943, he sold the
property to Luther Garland Watson and his wife, Ida Frances Slaughter Watson.14
The Watsons worked the farm with their children.After their son, Luther Watson Jr.
returned from service in World War II he built a house across NC 86 North from his
parent's farm.
The 1945 farm census reported that L. G.Watson owned 127 acres, of which 50
were cultivated.Tobacco, planted on 15 lh acres,was the main crop,followed by
corn, and small grains that were cut green for hay only.Another 3 acres contained
the home garden. Watson practiced progressive farming techniques by plowing up
twelve acres for soil improvement and using fertilizer on his crops. Ten fruit trees,
most likely apple, grew on the property. Eleven people lived on the farm in 1945.15
The Watson children,who had inherited the farm following the death of their
parents, sold the property to John C.Woods in 1984.16 In 1990,the farm was sub-
divided into three properties. The 26.51-acre parcel containing the Hester
farmhouse and its associated outbuildings went to Karen Baum.17 In 2000, Mimi
Logothetis bought the house, outbuildings, and 18.17 acres from Baum through
Preservation North Carolina. Ken Dawson bought the remaining eight acres of
farmland. Since her purchase, Logothetis has restored the house and outbuildings.
Sources Consulted
1830 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh,NC.
13 Karen Love Jessee, "Architectural Description and Commentary: The Nicholas
Corbett Hester House," paper for History of North Carolina Architecture, North
Carolina State University School of Design, 1994. In the Nicholas Corbett Hester
House survey file, Orange County Department of Environment,Agriculture, and
Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough, NC.
14 Orange County deed book 117, page 332, March 8, 1943, Orange County Register
of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
15 1945 Farm Census Reports, Cedar Grove Township, Orange County, North
Carolina, North Carolina Department of Agriculture. North Carolina State Archives,
Raleigh, NC.
16 Orange County deed book 486, page 26, October 1, 1984, Orange County Register
of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
17 Orange County deed book 857, page 140,June 11, 1990, Orange County Register
of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
8
October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
15
1840 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1850 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1860 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1860 Slave Population Census, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1870 Census of Agriculture, North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1880 Census of Agriculture. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
1945 Farm Census Reports, Cedar Grove Township, Orange County, NC. North
Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.
Hattie Mae Hester, Certificate of Death. North Carolina State Board of Health, Office
of Vital Statistics,April 6, 1972.Ancestry.com.Accessed June 16, 2015.
Jessee, Karen Love. "Architectural Description and Commentary: The Nicholas
Corbett Hester House." Paper for History of North Carolina Architecture,
North Carolina State University School of Design, 1994. In the Nicholas
Corbett Hester House survey file. Orange County Department of
Environment,Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough, NC.
Logothetis, Mimi. Draft Part 2 Orange County Landmark Application. No date. In the
Nicholas Corbett Hester House survey file. Orange County Department of
Environment,Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough, NC.
Love, Karen. Interview with Eleanor Walker. March 23, 1994. In the Nicholas
Corbett Hester House survey file. Orange County Department of
Environment,Agriculture, and Parks and Recreation, Hillsborough, NC.
Orange County Deeds. Orange County Register of Deeds, Hillsborough, NC.
U. S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line].Viewed
on Ancestry. com.Accessed June 16, 2015.
U. S. Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line].Ancestry.com.Accessed
June 16, 2015.
9
October 26, 2015
Orange County Local Landmark Application: Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, NC 27231
16
Site Plan:
Nicholas Corbett Hester House
9501 NC 86 North
Cedar Grove, Orange County, NC 27231
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Attachment 3 21
ORANGE COUNTY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
DRAFT Meeting Summary
October 28th, 2015
Old Orange County Courthouse
106 East King Street, Hillsborough
MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Ballard, Todd Dickinson (Chair), Jaime Grant, and Bob Ireland, and
Grace White
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rob Golan (excused)
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator, DEAPR
GUESTS: Stacey and Darrell Lingle, Mimi Logothetis, Peter Yeganian
ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Chair Dickinson called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm and recognized the guests.
ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: None.
ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES (September 21St, 2015 meeting)
Ireland moved to accept the minutes, seconded by Ballard; motion passed.
ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION:
a. Consideration of Draft Landmark Application for the Nicholas Corbett Hester House in
Cedar Grove (attachment 1).
Staff provided an overview explanation of the landmark criteria and approval process for
HPC members and attendees. This is our second landmark application this year, which
means we can meet our goal of designating two landmarks per year. In Orange County,
the landmark process is voluntary. Properties are determined to be eligible through the
findings of a detailed research report, which according to our ordinance must demonstrate
that the proposed property "possesses special significance to Orange County in terms of
its historical, architectural or cultural importance." Owners agree to have any proposed
future restoration or preservation work, or repairs or additions reviewed by the HPC in
return for the protection and the opportunity to take advantage of the 50% reduction in
property tax as allowed by state law and our ordinance. All work must be proposed in
writing through our Certificate of Appropriateness application and in compliance with our
published design guidelines.
Staff provided a handout with proposed language for a motion or resolution that the HPC
should make to document its "findings of fact" regarding the significance of the proposed
landmark and to move the application forward for review by the State Historic
Preservation Office (SHPO); they have 30 days to complete their review and provide any
suggested edits/revisions/comments back to us. Staff will convey those comments to the
owner's consultant, who will make any changes and return a final draft application to us.
At our next meeting, members will be asked to make a final motion to recommend that the
Board of County Commissioners adopt an ordinance to designate the Hester House as an
Orange County Local Historic Landmark. Staff showed a brief PowerPoint about the
property, including a proposed boundary map showing that the westernmost seven acres
of the larger parcel are to be included in the landmark designation. Neighboring property
owners Stacey and Darrell Lingle asked several questions about the landmark process
1
22
and its impact on the values of nearby properties. Owner Mimi Logothetis provided
additional information about the restoration and offered her agreement with the proposed
7 acre parcel, to include property west of the historic spring that runs from south to north.
Following some further discussion, Grant moved to adopt the suggested motion or"finding
of fact' language contained in the staff handout and to approve the Part 2 Application for
the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, and directed staff to submit the application to the
SHPO for their review. Ballard seconded the motion. Discussion followed. Members
passed the motion after adding wording to include the historic hedgerow along Allison
Road, and to clarify the wording about soil characteristics. The final motion is as follows:
The Orange County Historic Preservation Commission finds that the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House possesses special significance to Orange County in terms of its historical,
architectural and cultural importance. The Commission bases its decision upon the
following considerations and findings contained within the research report compiled by
consultant Jennifer Martin:
1. The Hester House is among the best-preserved vernacular Italianate-style
farmhouse surviving in Orange County, and as such, reflects the tremendous
prosperity of the enterprising tobacco farmers in the northern part of the county.
2. The Hester House retains its significant collection of historic outbuildings in an
intact rural setting, including the original c. 1850 log house which illustrates the
traditional log building practices that prevailed throughout the county from its first
settlement until the early 20th century
3. The Hester House is documented to have been built Will White, an active local
house-carpenter who practiced his art in the northern part of the county during the
post-Civil War period.
The HPC also finds that the Nicholas Corbett Hester House possesses integrity of design
setting, workmanship, materials, feeling and association as required by the HPC's
ordinance. The HPC judges that the architectural description of the historic resources and
the site description compiled by Jennifer Martin demonstrate that the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House meets this criterion. Lastly, the HPC recommends that the landmark
designation should include the western portion of the property as shown in the attached
map, including the main house, log house, corn crib, well house, well, spring, and historic
hedgerow along Allison Road. Staff is directed to submit the application to the SHPO for
their statutory review. The chair thanked the guests for their participation in the process.
b. Request to change next meeting date from Dec. 9 to Dec. 2:
Staff explained that the timing for each step for the landmark designation was tight, given
the goal of getting it passed by the BOCC by the end of the year. If it does not happen this
year, then the owner has to wait another full year before Tax Administration will allow it to
be eligible for the 50% property tax reduction. By holding our meeting on the 2nd, we can
make it all happen by the time of the BOCC's last meeting of the year, on Dec. 15th. Grant
moved to change the HPC meeting date to Dec. 2nd; seconded by Ballard; motion passed.
ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Annual Report and Work Plan due in December 2015:
Staff referred members to their copies of the 2014 work plan included in their packages
and hoped they had been able to review it. Members discussed briefly. In the interest of
time, the chair directed staff to prepare an updated draft report for their review at the next
meeting.
b. Membership Update:
2
23
Staff reviewed possible scenarios for future membership action by the BOCC at their
upcoming Nov. 5 meeting. Back in May, the HPC asked them to consider making an
exception to their established two-term limit and reappoint Dickinson for an additional
term. Action on that request was deferred to the fall due to the spring budget process and
then the bond issue process in October. If they decide that they do not wish to make an
exception then he can continue to serve until March under the one-year"grace" period
provided by their rules and procedures. The application for Tom Loter, historic
preservation architect at UNC (Attachment 4), was recommended for appointment by the
chair and vice chair, so that should be considered and approved by the BOCC in
November.
ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Hackney House Landmark Application:
Staff reported that Preservation Chapel Hill has assigned a new intern to complete the
application for this property with its important association with the African American history
of the southern part of the county. We should see it come to completion soon. A field trip
would still be a good idea if members are interested.
b. Open Air Time:
No new topics were presented in the interest of time.
ITEM #7: STAFF PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION:
a. Early Log Houses in northern Cedar Grove Township:
Staff gave a PowerPoint showing views and details of two early log houses. The Tapp
House probably dates from ca. 1840-50 and has a hall and parlor plan with wall logs
exposed on the interior, whitewashed many times, visible where the cardboard and paper
wall coverings have fallen off. The Jordan Tenant House is composed of two separate log
buildings joined by an open breezeway or dogtrot that was later enclosed. The northern
section appears to be quite early, perhaps 1800 to 1840s, with a stone chimney with brick
stack and some very early rounded wood shingles used as shims for later work. The
southern end has a stone chimney with a very unusual well-crafted stone stack still
remaining. Many of the county's early log houses are endangered through abandonment
and deterioration, or through being dismantled and rebuilt or heavily "restored."
ITEM #8: ADJOURNMENT: Ballard moved to adjourn, seconded by Ireland; motion passed. Chair
Dickinson adjourned the meeting at 8:58 pm.
Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff
3
24
ORD-2015-035 Attachment 4
AN ORDINANCE OF THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
DESIGNATING THE PROPERTY KNOWN AS THE
NICHOLAS CORBETT HESTER HOUSE
IN ORANGE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
AS A LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
Whereas, all of the prerequisites to the adoption of this ordinance prescribed in Part 3C,
Article 19, Chapter 160A (Historic Districts and Landmarks) of the General Statutes of North
Carolina and an Ordinance Creating the Historic Preservation Commission of Orange County
(the "Historic Preservation Ordinance")have been met; and
Whereas, the Orange County Board of Commissioners has taken into full consideration
all statements and information in the application and the designation report prepared by the
Orange County Historic Preservation Commission and presented to the Board of County
Commissioners on the 151'day of December, 2015, on the question of designating the property
known as the Nicholas Corbett Hester House as a historic landmark; and
Whereas, the property known as the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, located in Cedar
Grove Township in the County of Orange and more particularly described in Exhibit A attached
hereto, is significant as one of the County's best preserved late 19th century Italianate Style
farmhouses; and
Whereas, the original house constructed in 1881 retains a high degree of architectural
integrity, with most of its original historic exterior and interior features still preserved, along
with a significant collection of historic farm outbuildings including a ca. 1850 log house, all in
an intact rural setting; and
Whereas, the Nicholas Corbett Hester House reflects the tremendous prosperity achieved
by the enterprising tobacco farmers in the northern part of the County; and
Whereas, the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission has recognized the
historic, architectural and cultural significance of the property known as the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House and has recommended that the property be designated a"historic landmark" as
outlined in Article 3 of the Historic Preservation Ordinance; and
25
Whereas, the State Historic Preservation Office, an agency of the Office of Archives and
History of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, has reviewed and commented
on the findings of the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission, and has approved the
Nicholas Corbett Hester House for designation as a local historic landmark;
Now, therefore, be it ordained by the Board of County Commissioners of Orange County,
North Carolina that:
Section 1. The property known as the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, located in Cedar
Grove Township, Orange County, North Carolina jurisdictional area, consisting of
approximately 7 acres more particularly described in Exhibit B, is hereby designated a historic
landmark pursuant to Part 3C, Article 19, Chapter 160A of the General Statutes of North
Carolina and the Orange County Historic Preservation Ordinance.
Section 2. The owner(s) and occupant(s) of the property known as the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House be given notice of this ordinance as required by applicable law, and that copies of
this ordinance be filed and indexed in the office of the County Clerk, Orange County Register of
Deeds, Orange County Tax Supervisor and Orange County Department of Environment,
Agriculture, Parks and Recreation, as required by the applicable law.
Section 3. In accordance with Part 3C, Article 19, Chapter 160A of the General Statutes
of North Carolina and the Orange County Historic Preservation Ordinance, the exterior and site
features of all historic landmarks are always under the purview of the Historic Preservation
Commission's Certificate of Appropriateness provisions. The jurisdiction of the Historic
Preservation Commission may also extend over interior spaces with the consent of the owner.
The HPC shall determine Certificates of Appropriateness for the Nicholas Corbett Hester House
based on the HPC's approved design standards, with reference to the designation ordinance, the
application materials and the designation report.
Section 4. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed
to the extent of such conflict with this ordinance.
Section 5. Any part of this ordinance determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be in violation of any law or constitutional provision shall be deemed severable and shall not
affect the validity of the remainder.
Section 6. This ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its adoption.
26
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners does
hereby officially designate the Nicholas Corbett Hester House as an Orange
County Local Historic Landmark.
This the 15th day of December, 2015.
Earl McKee, Chair
Orange County Board of Commissioners
Attest
Donna Baker, Clerk to the Board
27
EXHIBIT A
The Nicholas Corbett Hester House, located at 9501 NC 86, Cedar Grove Township, is
referenced in Orange County Land Records as Parcel Identification Number(PIN) 9940449151,
containing 18.17 acres more or less. Only that portion of this parcel containing the historic
house, the ca. 1850 log house, the corncrib, the well house and well, the spring, and the historic
hedgerow along Allison Road, is being designated, consisting of approximately 7 acres as shown
in Exhibit B. The property is owned by Mimi Logothetis, 9501 NC 86 North, Cedar Grove, NC
27231.
28
EXHIBIT B
* N ichol aaCorbEn H ester '
x
�. H-DuaL-r-GrangL-CDwty: {
Prop o red boundary
for landmark status: � Nertl� _ •
Ap p rox.7 acres
extendedfram sprirL it
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to NC-96 at rrr;e st n e
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Attachment 5 29
North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
State Historic Preservation Office
Ramona Al.Bartos,Administrator
Pat McCrory,Governor Office of Archives and History
Susan Kluttz,Secretary Division of Historical Resources
Kevin Cherry,Deputy Secretary
December 4, 2015
Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator
Orange County, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation
306A Revere Road, P.O. Box 8181
Hillsborough NC 27278
RE: Landmark Designation Report for the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, 9501 NC 86 North, Cedar
Grove vicinity, Orange County
Dear Mr. Sandbeck
Thank you for the report for the above-cited property which is being proposed for landmark designation.
We have reviewed the information in the report and offer the following comments in accordance with
North Carolina General Statute 160A-400.4.
The Nicholas Corbett Hester House, built in 1881 in northern Orange County,possesses architectural
significance a meticulously restored example of a vernacular interpretation of the Italianate style. With a
porch featuring chamfered posts, decoratively sawn brackets, and a second, gable-roofed tier at the entrance
bay, deep eaves embellished with elaborately turned and sawn brackets, hooded window surrounds, and
richly corbelled interior chimneys, the two-story, one-room-deep house stands as the fullest expression of
the style in rural Orange County. We believe the local governing board now has sufficient information to
determine that the Nicholas Corbett Hester House qualifies for local landmark designation.
Furthermore, it is worth noting that there is the potential for archaeological resources associated with the
property. Care should be taken during any ground disturbing activities to avoid inadvertent damage or
destruction to such resources.
Landmark designation means the community recognizes a property as an important historic resource
worthy of preservation. Any substantial exterior design changes to a designated landmark are subject to the
design review procedures of the Orange County Historic Preservation Commission. The owner may apply
for an annual deferral of fifty percent of the property taxes for as long as the property is designated and
retains significance and integrity.
If the local governing board wishes to extend the Commission's design review authority to significant
features of the interior, the owner must give written consent. The designation ordinance must specify the
features and describe the nature of the Commission's design review authority over them.
Location:109 East Jones Street,Raleigh NC 27601 Mailing Address:4617 Mail Service Centex,Raleigh NC 27699-4617 Telephone/Fax:(919)807-6570/807-6599
30
December 4, 2015
Page 2
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment on the report. Our comments are advisory only and are
not binding. Once the governing board has received a recommendation from the Orange County Historic
Preservation Commission and has proceeded in the same manner as would otherwise be required for an
amendment to the zoning ordinance, the governing board may proceed with the designation decision. Once
the designation decision has been made,please return the completed designation confirmation form,
enclosed.
This letter serves as our comments on the proposed landmark designation of the Nicholas Corbett Hester
House. Please contact me at 919-807-6575 should you have any questions about our comments.
Sincerely,
Laurie Mitchell
Local Preservation Commissions /CLG Coordinator
CC: Commission Chair
Enclosure