HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC meeting summary 11022022 Attachment 4
Minutes of the Nov. 21 2022 meeting of the
Orange County Historic Preservation
Commission
Included to provide documentation of the HPC approval
of these properties to recommend to the BOCC as
proposed Local Historic Landmarks as required by the
Orange County Historic Preservation Ordinance
Orange County
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Approved Meeting Summary
November 2nd, 2022
Bonnie Davis Center, 1020 US 70 West, Hillsborough
MEMBERS PRESENT: Tom Loter, Cecelia Moore, Paul Noe , Steve Peck
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck GUESTS : Todd Dickinson , Art Menius
ITEM #1 : CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6: 34 pm .
ITEM #2 : CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
None .
ITEM #3 : APPROVAL OF MINUTES for August 24, 2022:
Loter moved to approve the minutes ; seconded by Peck; it was noted that there was a
misspelling in item 4 ; motion approved with correction .
ITEM #4 : TEMS FOR DECISION :
a . Motion to proceed to propose four new properties to the BOCC for Landmark
Designation : Staff provided a brief overview presentation to highlight the four landmarks
now ready to move forward to the BOCC for designation , pending the completion of the
mandatory review of our applications and reports by the State Historic Preservation Office
as dictated by our ordinance. These properties are : Harvey's Chapel AME Church/site of
former church and cemetery; Eno Quaker Burying Ground ; the David Faucette House;
and the Davis Cotton Gin and Barn . The goal is to get these ready to be scheduled for the
BOCC joint public hearing in April or May of this coming year. This process involves
holding a joint public hearing with the BOCC to hear any possible public comment. The
actual landmark designation ordinances will be considered and adopted by the BOCC at
the next meeting following the public hearing . Staff will notify members once we get a
better idea of the schedule for this . Loter moved that:
1 ) the HPC finds that all four properties possess special historical , architectural , and
cultural significance, and also possess integrity of design , setting , workmanship ,
materials , feeling , and/or association as required to be eligible for landmark
designation ; and
2), the HPC directs staff to present all four properties to the BOCC for the public
hearing and subsequent landmark designation , pending state approval of the
applications and reports .
Motion seconded by Peck; motion approved .
ITEM #5 : DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Date for December meeting : Staff proposed a possible meeting date of Dec. 141h , as is
usual for the HPC to avoid trying to hold a meeting too close to the Christmas holiday .
This was acceptable to all present.
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b. New Discoveries in the Woods : Staff presented a PowerPoint to share highlights of a
recent tour he took with Judge Beverly Scarlett, where she showed him a cemetery
containing burials of the enslaved workers associated with Hardscrabble Plantation , the
seat of the prominent Cain family , who also built the fine house Sans Souci in
Hillsborough . Members viewed photos of the house , then views of the cemetery, which
was identified during a property survey. The owner, Jim Parlsey, agreed to donate the
cemetery to a new non-profit group called Indigenous Memories , formed by Judge Scarlett
and her sister. More research is needed on the enslaved population there. From
preliminary assessments , there are at least 50-75 burials there. Staff then went on a tour
with Judge Scarlet to view several very interesting rock piles or mounds located on her
farm nearby off of Terry Road . One site exhibited five piles or mounds of rocks arranged
in a rough circle , while another is freestanding and high , perhaps six feet. The theory is
that these may be associated with Indian ceremonial activities or perhaps burials ,
although there is no definite proof. This area of the county has traditionally been the home
of the Maroons , a term used to describe the mixed race Indian and Black people who lived
in their own community here. Judge Scarlett hired Shawn Patch , a respected professional
archaeologist with New South Associates in Greensboro , who came to assess the rock
piles . He is doing research and will present his findings or opinions at a later date. Staff
also toured the Ray slave cemetery , located nearby off the driveway of the gravel road
leading to the late Peter Kramer' s farm , on the north side of Lipscomb Grove Church Rd .
Peck noted that there is now a much greater interest within the Black community to search
for their enslaved ancestors , leading to a growing number of new discoveries of just such
sites as these . We should expect to see many more cemeteries being discovered or
perhaps just revealed as they were never lost, just not discussed . Judge Scarlett's
leadership and willingness to take action and talk about these sites will be a great asset to
this effort. Staff noted that he has received multiple inquiries from county residents who
are discovering such cemeteries or are interested in their preservation . All agreed that the
HPC can certainly take on an important role in this effort.
c. Strayhorn House in Carrboro : potential for HPC involvement in a National Register
nomination : Staff reviewed the recent history of this important historic property built by
formerly enslaved members of the Strayhorn family, located in Carrboro . Preservation
Chapel Hill received a recent Covington Foundation grant to help with some needed
restoration work to the floor system . They are hoping to raise funds to help match the
grant. The house is protected by a Preservation Easement held by Preservation Chapel
Hill , implemented while Ernie Dollar was the director there. There has been an interest in
placing this on the National Register for some years , and it is already on the State Study
List as being eligible . Staff would like to get a general sense of the pleasure of the group
to see if there is interest in having the HPC help with this effort, perhaps with funding
assistance or administration of the effort. Members were in favor and agreed that this is a
good project to pursue if needed .
d . Updating our HPC ordinance to reflect changes made by the General Assembly :
Staff just wanted to note that this is a project that will be in the works this coming year, to
review and fine-tune our ordinance , working with the county attorney's staff. Our last
update was in 2013 .
e. News and updates from the Preservation NC Annual Meeting : Staff provided an
overview of the various programs and topics covered at the meeting held in Winston-
Salem last week , including sessions on the preservation of the burial grounds of the
enslaved in Forsyth County, and a very impressive and informative panel about
preserving and revitalizing Black neighborhoods that were destroyed or impacted by
highways and urban renewal , with panelists including city council members and local
preservation leaders , discussing the long-term damage these projects caused and are still
causing , through the destruction of close-knot communities.
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f. Membership/election of officers : This was deferred to the next meeting in the interest of
time .
ITEM #6 : UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Blackwood Farmhouse Restoration Project: Work continues to progress on the exterior
restoration . Wayne Thompson is on site now working on repointing the stone chimneys.
Carpenter Jeff Bergman has completed the window restoration and is working on the
siding . Work on the other park improvements continues to progress .
b . Ridge Road School National Register Nomination progress report: Our consultant for
the project, Heather Fearnbach , has scheduled a site visit for mid-November to start work
on the Study List application for this historic c. 1932 Black school north of Hillsborough , to
be submitted to the State Historic Preservation Office before Dec. 31 .
c. Troy and Roberta Andrews House National Register Nomination Project: Staff met
with Jean Earnhardt, owner of the house and daughter of Troy and Roberta Andrews , to
promote the idea of placing the house on the National Register. Some members will recall
the fascinating story of how this remarkable Modernist house was designed by a Swiss
architecture student while studying under Frank Lloyd Wright at the original Taliesin in
Wisconsin . This meeting was arranged with help from local community member Bonnie
Hauser. Ms. Earnhardt has carefully preserved the original architect's plans and photos of
the house and the talented Black stonemasons who built the house, Alf and Willis Barbee
from Carrboro . She is interested in having this listed on the Register and will be talking
with her children about the idea to get their approval . Peck was interested about where
stones were quarried in that area . Staff noted that the owner explained that the stones for
this house are all rough field stones that were gathered from the immediate site and not
quarried . The owner and Ms. Hauser are reaching out to descendants or relatives of the
Alf and Willis Barbee to invite them to view the house and to admire the fine stonework.
d . Historic Architecture Book Project: The author for our Historic Architecture Book, Laura
Phillips , has finished all the property entries following the advice of our editorial
consultant, Catherine Bishir. This marks the completion of all her work. Staff will have to
review all of this and work in cooperation with Bishir to resolve any outstanding editorial
issues. Staff recently met with Julie Allred , our book designer with BW&A Books . They are
eager to get started on this once we finish the editorial and other text work, like captions
and front matter. She will obtain new printing prices for us now in case there have been
changes due to supply chain issues. The essay chapters will be available for HPC
members to read and edit; several members indicated interest.
e. Open air time : Peck discussed a property called the Chapel Carriage House , that has an
old cabin on the property; the old owner name is Lindsay or Lindley. It is a wedding venue
now. They have what they believe is an old slave cemetery on the site . He will do some
checking and share information with staff about the cemetery .
ITEM #7 : ADJOURNMENT : The meeting was adjourned at 8 : 09 pm .
Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck , DEAPR staff
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