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>> THE FOLLOWING EPISODE OF
TRAIL OF HISTORY IS BROUGHT TO
YOU BY CENTRAL PIEDMONT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND VIEWERS
LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
AND FROM BRAG FINANCIAL
ADVISORS, A FAMILY OWNED WEALTH
MANAGEMENT FIRM PROVIDING
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AND TAX
AND ESTATE PLANNING FOR
FAMILIES, INDIVIDUALS AND
INSTITUTIONS FOR NEARLY 50
YEARS.
COMMITTED TO OUR CLIENTS, TO
EDUCATION AND OUR COMMUNITY.
>> HELLO. I'M TONY ZEISS,
PRESIDENT OF CENTRAL PIEDMONT
COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
YOU KNOW, THE RICH AND DIVERSE
HISTORY OF THE CHARLOTTE REGION
IS JUST WONDERFUL, AND WE AT THE
COLLEGE WANT TO BRING IT TO YOU
AND SHARE IT.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
HISTORY.
WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF
LEARNING FROM THE PAST SO THAT
WE CAN DO BETTER IN THE FUTURE.
I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU'RE
IN FOR A REAL TREAT.
THE HISTORY DEPARTMENT AT
CENTRAL PIEDMONT COMMUNITY
COLLEGE HAS PARTNERED WITH OUR
TELEVISION STATION TO BRING YOU
THIS SPECIAL, ONE OF A KIND
HISTORY PROGRAM.
STAY TUNED.
I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY
IT.
[ THEME MUSIC ]
>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO A TRAIL
OF HISTORY.
I'M GARY RITTER.
WE'RE HERE IN HUNTERSVILLE, IN
WEST MECKLENBURG AND FEW
TORRANCE HOUSE AND STORE.
HUGH TORRANCE MOVED HERE DURING
THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION AND THEY
LIVED ON THIS PROPERTY.
TORRANCE OPERATED A STORE
SELLING GOODS OUT OF
PHILADELPHIA.
THE TORRANCE FAMILY PROSPERED
AND WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE ENOUGH
ACREAGE TO HAVE ONE OF THE FIRST
AND LARGEST COTTON PLANTATIONS
IN THE COUNTY.
THEY WERE ALSO ABLE TO BUILD
NEXT DOOR CEDAR GROVE, A FINE
EXAMPLE OF ANTEBELLUM GREEK
REVIVAL ARCHITECTURE.
AT THIS EPISODE, WE'LL LOOK AT
BOTH STRUCTURES WHAT SHOPPING
WAS LIKE AND WE'LL ALSO TALK TO
THE DESCENDANTS THAT STILL OWN
THE PROPERTIES AND ARE WORKING
TO PRESERVE THEM.
[ MUSIC ]
>> HUGH TORRANCE WAS A
SCOTCH-IRISH PROTESTANT LIVING
IN NORTHERN IRELAND.
LIKE MANY COUNTRYMEN, HE
IMMIGRATED TO AMERICA.
>> HE CAME TO AMERICA TO THE
COLONIES IN 1760 S .
>> MY FATHER SPECULATED THAT HE
WAS AN INDENTURED SERVANT AND
SERVED OUT HIS TIME IN
PHILADELPHIA.
AFTER HE WAS FREE OF THAT DEBT,
BECAUSE THAT'S HOW HE PAID FOR
GETTING ACROSS THE OCEAN, HE
BECAME A PEDDLER ALONG THE GREAT
WAGON ROAD.
SOLD WARES UP AND DOWN AND I
SPECULATE THAT HE ALWAYS HAD AN
EYE OUT FOR PROPERTY.
>> AND BY THE 1770 S , HE AND
HIS BROTHER HAD MOVED TO NORTH
CAROLINA AND HE BOUGHT THIS
PROPERTY IN 1779.
SHORTLY AFTER HUGH BOUGHT THIS
PROPERTY WAS WHEN THE
REVOLUTIONARY WAR BEGAN TO BREAK
OUT IN THE SOUTH.
THEY HAD BEEN FIGHTING IN THE
NORTHERN COLONIES FOR SEVERAL
YEARS BUT IT WAS 1780 WHEN THE
WAR REALLY HEATED UP IN THE
SOUTH.
>> DURING THE WAR, HUGH TORRANCE
JOINED UP WITH THE LOCAL
REVOLUTIONARY MILITIA KNOWN AS
THE PARTISAN CHARGERS.
HE AND ABOUT 400 PATRIOTS
DEFEATED A MUCH LARGER GROUP OF
AREA LOYALISTS IN THE AREA OF
PROGRAMSTERS MILL 25 MILES TO
THE WEST IN LINCOLNTON.
THIS VICTORY HELP TURN THE TIDE
OF THE WAR IN THE SOUTH.
HELPING TO BRING AMERICAN
VICTORY IN THE WAR FOR
INDEPENDENCE.
AFTER THE WAR, TORRANCE TURNED
HIS ATTENTION BACK TO HIS LAND
AND FAMILY.
[ MUSIC ]
>> HUGH WAS AN ITENERANT
MERCHANT.
AFTER HE MARRIED ISOBELLA, THEY
HAD THE ONLY CHILD THEY HAD
TOGETHER WHICH WAS JAMES.
WHEN JAMES WAS 20 YEARS OLD IS
WHEN THEY PERMANENTLY OPEN THE
STORE ON THIS SITE.
>> IT STARTED OUT AS A LOG CABIN
AND WAS ADDED ONTO OVER THE
YEARS.
>> THE BUILDING'S A RARE
SURVIVOR.
ESPECIALLY FROM THIS REGION OF
THE PIEDMONT TO BE THIS EARLY.
>> DAVID STROUD IS A HISTORIC
PRESERVATIONIST.
HE OFFERS INSIGHT INTO THE
ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF HUGH
TORRANCE HOUSE AND STORE.
>> IT EVOLVED OVER THE LATE 18 T
H CENTURY UP INTO THE VERY LATE
18 T H CENTURY, I THINK 1780 S ,
THE FORMER HOUSE STYLE IS CALLED
A FEDERAL STYLE.
THAT'S TYPICAL-- IN ENGLAND, IT
WAS CALLED THE ADAM'S STYLE.
IN AMERICA, IT'S CALLED THE
FEDERAL STYLE.
THE THING YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IS
HE LIVED HERE HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
IS THERE AN EVOLUTION OF THE
NAIL PATTERN ON THE DOOR OR A
DIFFERENT HINGE HERE?
THOSE THINGS CLUE YOU INTO THE
EVOLUTION OF THE ARCHITECTURE OF
THE HOUSE, THE FORM AND SPEAK TO
HOW THE HOUSE HAS EVOLVED.
THIS HOME DOES NOT HAVE
INSULATION IN IT.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DRAFTY,
COLD HOLE COMPARED TO WHAT WE'RE
USED TO.
WHAT I NOTICE IN PARTICULAR
ABOUT THE FEDERAL STRUCTURE
WE'RE STANDING IN NOW IS THE
MOLDING DETAILS THAT YOU SEE
THROUGHOUT THE CORNACE, THE
WINDOW SURROUNDS, THE WINDOW
CASING.
WHAT'S UNUSUAL FOR A STRUCTURE
IS THE USE OF THE HORIZONTAL
BOARDS, THE SOUTHERN YELLOW PINE
BOARDS THAT ARE USED.
TYPICALLY IN AN ORDER OF HIGHER
ORDER OF FEDERAL STYLE HOUSE,
WOULD YOU SEE PLASTER, BUT BEING
THIS IS A NATURAL FORM IN THIS
REGION OF THE PIEDMONT AT THIS
EARLY DATE, THIS WILL BE
SOMEWHAT TYPICAL RATHER THAN
ATYPICAL.
FOR THIS TYPE OF HOUSE.
>> A THE LOVE THE DETAIL IN THE
FEDERAL EDITION APPEARS TO BE
ALMOST IDENTICAL TO A LOT OF THE
DETAIL AT LATTA PLANTATION.
HUGH TORRANCE AND JAMES LATTA
WERE GOOD FRIENDS.
THEY WERE BOTH MERCHANTS.
THEY DID BUSINESS TOGETHER, AND
THEY WOULD EMPLOY THE SAME CRAFT
PEOPLE TO WORK ON THEIR HOMES IS
INCREDIBLY LOGICAL.
>> AS HIS FAMILY GREW AND HE
BECAME MORE SUCCESSFUL, HUGH
TORRANCE MOVED OUT OF THE
ORIGINAL HOUSE INTO A NEW ONE HE
HAD BUILT NEXT DOOR ON THE LOT
WHERE CEDAR GROVE NOW SITS.
HIS SON JAMES STAYED IN THE
FIRST HOUSE AND WAS VERY
INVOLVED IN THE MERCANTILE
BUSINESS BRINGING GOODS TO THE
NORTH CAROLINA BACK COUNTRY ALL
THE WAY FROM PHILADELPHIA.
>> ON THAT FIRST BUYING TRIP TO
PHILADELPHIA, JAMES BOUGHT
ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF DISHES AND
TUMBLERS AND KNIVES AND FORKS
AND THINGS OF THAT SORT
INCLUDING EIGHT BARRELS OF
CLEANSWARE DINNERWARE, AND MANY,
MANY VOLUMES OF BOOKS.
MOSTLY RELIGIOUS AND SCHOOL
BOOKS BUT MANY, MANY VOLUMES OF
BOOKS.
AND HUNDREDS OF YARDS OF CLOTH
AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS AND
HARDWARE, NAILS AND BRADS AND
SCREWS AND TIN AND IRON AND ALL
SORTS OF THINGS, BUT IN ADDITION
TO THOSE THINGS HE BROUGHT FROM
AFAR, HE WAS SELLING THINGS THAT
WERE LOCALLY PRODUCED.
PROBABLY HIS NEIGHBORS WOULD
BRING THEIR EXCESS FARM PRODUCTS
AND TRADE THEM RATHER THAN USE
MONEY FOR THEIR OWN PURCHASES.
IN THE EARLY 1800 S , BOTH HUGH
AND JAMES BEGAN PLANTING COTTON.
ALL THIS TIME, THEY WERE
ACQUIRING MORE LAND AND
ACQUIRING MORE SLAVES IN THE
FARMING BUSINESS AND COTTON
BUSINESS WAS GETTING TO BE MORE
AND MORE IMPORTANT TO THE WAY
THEY LIVED.
AS HUGH BEGAN TO ACQUIRE WEALTH
FROM COTTON, HE BUILT NEXT DOOR
IN 1796 A BRICK HOUSE, A BRICK
HOUSE OF ABOUT 2,500 SQUARE
FEET.
IN 1825, JAMES DECIDED THAT THE
TIME HAD COME TO CLOSE HIS
STORE.
HE WOULD BECOME VERY WELL-TO-DO
FROM COTTON AND THE STORE WAS
JUST NOT WORTH THE TIME IT WAS
TAKING.
>> WHAT REALLY MADE HIM WAS THE
COTTON.
COTTON WAS KING IN THE SOUTH,
AND THROUGH HIS SUCCESS SELLING
COTTON, HE WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE
MORE PROPERTY.
HE ALSO DIVERSIFIED.
HE HAD THE STORE ALREADY AND HE
ALSO BUILT A SAWMILL AND GRIST
MILL AT THE CONFLUENCE OF
MCDOWELL AND TORRANCE CREEK.
>> BY 1830 S , JAMES AND HIS
WIFE AND CHILDREN, I THINK, THEY
WERE ABOUT NINE CHILDREN AT THAT
TIME, WERE LIVING IN THE FIRST
BRICK HOUSE.
THE ONE THAT WAS ABOUT 2,500
SQUARE FEET.
HE WAS BECOMING VERY, VERY
WELL-TO-DO FROM COTTON AND HAD
QUITE A NUMBER OF ACRES AND
QUITE A NUMBER OF SLAVES BY
THEN.
HE HAD 94 SLAVES IN 1830.
SO THE POPULATION HAD GROWN
TREMENDOUSLY AS WELL AS HIS
WEALTH HAD.
HE DECIDED APPARENTLY THAT HOUSE
WAS NOT GRAND ENOUGH FOR HIS
LIFESTYLE.
PROBABLY NOT LARGE ENOUGH
BECAUSE HE HAD QUITE SO MANY
CHILDREN AND HE TORE THAT HOUSE
DOWN AND BUILT CEDAR GROVE THAT
STANDS TODAY.
>> IT WAS A SMALLER BRICK
STRUCTURE.
THE DOOR KNOCKER ON THE PRESENCE
HERE IS FROM THE ORIGINAL
STRUCTURE THAT WAS HERE.
THIS WAS A VERY DESIRABLE
LOCATION BECAUSE IT'S GOT CREEKS
SURROUNDING IT AND IT'S HIGH
KNOLL.
IT'S HIGH IN ELEVATION.
[ MUSIC ]
>> HIS SLAVES MADE 12,000 BRICKS
BEFORE THE HOUSE WAS TORN DOWN.
WHILE IT WAS UNDER CONSTRUCTION,
THEY MADE 8,000 MORE.
THEY CUT NEARLY ALL THE LUMBER
THAT WAS USED IN THAT HOUSE ON
THIS PROPERTY, SAWED IT AT HIS
MILL, CURED IT AT HIS PROPERTY.
THIS HOUSE WAS TRADITIONALLY A
SLAVE-BUILT HOUSE.
>> AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE 100
SLAVES ON THIS PLANTATION.
AND CLOSE TO 3,000 ACRES OF
PROPERTY.
THE QUALITY OF THE CRAFTMANSHIP
IN THIS HOME IS REMARKABLE.
A GREAT DEAL OF THE CREDIT GOES
TO THE SLAVE CRAFTSMEN WHO
HELPED TO DO A GREAT DEAL OF THE
WORK ON THIS HOUSE AND INCLUDING
BLACKSMITHING, WOODWORKING.
[ MUSIC ]
THEY SUPPORTED THE SPIRAL
STAIRCASE.
THE BANNISTER IS LIKE A
CORKSCREW THAT'S MADE OF WALNUT.
THE CRAFTMANSHIP THAT IT TOOK TO
MAKE THAT BANNISTER, JUST THINK,
YOU NOW, HOW YOU WOULD BE-- HOW
ACCURATE, HOW PRECISE WOULD YOU
HAVE TO BE TO BEND THAT WOOD SO
THAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IT DOES.
IT'S AMAZING.
ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THE HOUSE
IS THE FANCIEST FLOOR, THIS
FIRST FLOOR.
IT HAS THE WANESCOTTING AND
PLASTER MOULDING AND MANY
VARIATIONS AROUND THE FIREPLACES
AND THE DOORWAYS.
THE WOOD BOARDS, THE PLANKS ARE
CALLED WORMY PINE AND THEY WERE
VERY, YOU KNOW, CONSIDERED VERY
STYLISH AT THE TIME.
IT'S ALL HARD PINE.
CEILINGS ARE 13 FEET.
THESE WINDOWS OFFER A GREAT DEAL
OF LIGHT.
THE SHUDDERS, MANY OF THE
SHUDDERS ARE STILL ORIGINAL.
THEY WERE LOUVRERED SHUDDERS AND
THERE WERE NO SCREENS IN THAT
DAY AND THEY WERE USED TO BLOCK
OUT THE LIGHT BUT THEY ALSO, YOU
KNOW, ALLOWED A BREEZE.
OF COURSE, BUGS WOULD GET INTO
THEM, I'M SURE.
ANOTHER KEY FEATURE ARE THE
GABLES FOR THE CHIMNEYS.
THEY GO LIKE THIS.
THEY'RE TERRACED AND THE ONLY
REAL CHIMNEY IS THE TOP ONE.
THE OTHERS ARE ORNAMENTAL.
THAT'S AN UNUSUAL FEATURE.
BY THE MIDDLE OF THE 20 T H
CENTURY, BOTH THE TORRANCE HOUSE
AND THE CEDAR GROVE PLANTATION
HOUSE HAVE FALLEN INTO DISREPAIR
BUT WERE STILL IN FAMILY HANDS.
THE BANKS FAMILY, DIRECT
DESCENDANTS OF HUGH TORRANCE,
SET OUT TO ONCE AGAIN MAKE CEDAR
GROVE A HOME.
[ MUSIC ]
>> MY MOTHER, A YANKEE, AS PART
OF THE AGREEMENT WHEN SHE
MARRIED DAD TO COME TO THIS
HOUSE SAID THAT THIS HOUSE WOULD
NEVER BE A MUSEUM.
THAT IT WILL BE A HOME.
I MOVED HERE WHEN I WAS TWO AND
A HALF YEARS OLD AND WHAT WAS IT
LIKE?
IT WAS COLD AND I REMEMBER THAT
THEY RENOVATED THE HOUSE ROOM BY
ROOM, AND WE STARTED OUT IN THE
ROOM NEXT TO ME.
WE HAD OUR BED THERE.
THAT WAS THE ONLY HEATED ROOM
AND THEY BRANCHED OUT FROM THAT
ROOM AND PAINTED EACH ROOM ONE
BY ONE.
WHAT IT WAS LIKE?
I THOUGHT EVERYBODY LIVED IN
COLD, BIG HOUSES.
I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO
RIDE THEIR TRICYCLE IN THE
HOUSE.
I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS ABLE TO
RAISE GATES AND HIT TENNIS BALL
AGAINST THE WALL.
MY DAD WAS TRULY A RENAISSANCE
MAN.
HE WOULD WORK ALL DAY AT
OBSERVER AND ON THE WEEKENDS, HE
LOVED TO WORK OUTSIDE.
HE NEVER CALLED THIS PLANTATION.
HE CALLED IT THE FARM.
AND SO ONE THING THAT I REMEMBER
HIM DOING IS PUTTING BARBED WIRE
AND FENCE POST AROUND THE ENTIRE
FARM AND HE HAD COWS, AND THE
COWS WERE AN ISSUE BECAUSE HE
WOULD GO TO WORK ALL DAY AND MY
YANKEE MOTHER WHO DIDN'T EVEN
LIKE TO SET FOOT ON DIRT WOULD
HAVE TO ROUND UP THE COWS.
THEY REALLY BROUGHT THE HOUSE TO
LIFE.
THEY BOTH WANTED THIS TO BE A
BEAUTIFUL PLACE FRANKLY, I THINK
IT'S THE PRETTIEST HOUSE IN
NORTH CAROLINA.
>> IT'S INTERESTING TO THINK
ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO
HAVE LIVED AND DIED IN THIS
HOUSE AND IT GIVES THIS HOUSE A
SPECIAL AURA, A QUALITY.
LIVING IN IT THAT YOU FIND
YOURSELF IN SOME WAY, YOU KNOW,
MAYBE NOT SO SIGNIFICANT WHEN
YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF IN JUST A
LARGE FLOW OF FAMILY MEMBERS.
YOU'RE JUST ONE, HOPEFULLY, OF
MANY MORE TO COME IN THIS HOUSE.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES THIS HOUSE
LIVE.
IT'S NOT A MUSEUM.
IT'S A HOUSE THAT'S BEEN LIVED
IN.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN BORN AND DIED
IN IT.
[ MUSIC ]
>> IN ADDITION TO THE HISTORY
FOUND IN THE BUILDINGS, THERE'S
MUCH TO BE LEARNED FROM THE
TORRANCE AND BANKS' FAMILY
PAPERS THAT ARE PART OF THE
SPECIAL COLLECTION AT THE ATKINS
LIBRARY ATHE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH
CAROLINA CHARLOTTE.
ONE OF THE STORE LEDGERS LISTED
WHAT MAJOR JOHN DAVIDSON
PURCHASED FROM THE STORE IN
1805.
OTHER PAPERS LIST SLAVE NAMES
WITH AGES AND THERE ARE ALSO
TRANSCRIPTS OF GOODS PURCHASED
IN PHILADELPHIA TO BE SOLD IN
THE TORRANCE STORE.
>> SO WE HAVE MERCANTILE
RECORDS.
WE HAVE COTTON PLANTATION
RECORDS, AND TO ME, THE MOST--
THE VERY MOST WONDERFUL PART OF
THIS WHOLE STORY IS THEY KEPT SO
MUCH DOCUMENTATION AND DONATED
ALL TO UNCC WHERE IT'S IN THE
ARCHIVES NOW AND I'M TOLD THAT
THERE ARE OVER 15,000 DOCUMENTS
OF FAMILY HISTORY IN THAT
ARCHIVE, LETTERS, JOURNALS,
RECORDS OF ALL SORTS AND KINDS
AND WE COULD REALLY LEARN 100
YEARS OF MECKLENBURG HISTORY
FROM THIS SITE.
[ MUSIC ]
THE RECORDS AT UNCC, THEY'RE
FAMILY LETTERS, STORE RECORDS,
SCHOOL RECORDS FOR NOT ONLY THE
GIRLS AT SALEM BUT SOME OF THE
BOYS SCHOOL AND ALSO RECEIPTS
FOR THINGS THAT JAMES BOUGHT AND
SOLD.
IN PARTICULAR, THINGS AFTER HE
WAS KEEPING STORE, THINGS HE
BOUGHT FOR HIS NEW HOUSE THAT HE
BUILT IN THE 1830 S AND THE THE
AMOUNT OF WEALTH THAT HE HAD,
TRIPS TO CHARLESTON TO SELL
COTTON.
A LOT OF COTTON RECORDS HOW MANY
POUNDS, HOW MANY BAILS OF COTTON
HE SOLD.
HOW MUCH MONEY.
WE DON'T HAVE IT FOR EVERY
SINGLE YEAR BUT WE HAVE IT FOR A
LOT OF YEARS.
SO THERE'S GOOD RECORDS OF HIS
COTTON BUSINESS.
THE SLAVE RECORDS ARE NOT NEARLY
AS WONDERFUL AS I WISH THEY
WERE, BUT THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD
CONSIDERING WHAT WE USUALLY
KNOW.
IT'S QUITE UNIQUE TO HAVE BOTH A
LATE 18 T H CENTURY STRUCTURE
AND AN ANTEBELLUM HOUSE STILL
STANDING IN THEIR ORIGINAL
LOCATIONS.
THEY'RE AN IMPORTANT LINK TO OUR
PAST AND SHOULD BE PRESERVED.
>> IT'S BEEN OWNED OUTSIDE THE
FAMILY.
SO FOR THE BANKS FAMILY TO
ENDURE AS THE OWNERS OF THIS
WHOLE THING, INCLUDING THE CEDAR
GROVE LAND IS VERY, VERY UNIQUE.
>> I HOPE THAT IT REMAINS IN THE
FAMILY KNOW THAT IS MY BROTHER'S
PLAN.
IT IS HE WHO IS THE OWNER NOW OF
THE HOUSE AND STORE, AND I KNOW
IT IS HIS PLAN TO PASS IT ONTO
HIS CHILDREN SO THAT IT CAN
CONTINUE THE HERITAGE OF THE
TORRANCE FAMILY THAT HAS GONE
BACK TO THE 1700 S .
>> WHEN THE TORRANCE FAMILY
DECIDED-- THE BANKS DECIDED THEY
WANTED TO SAFEGUARD THE HUGH
TORRANCE HOUSE AND STORE
BUILDING AFTER IT WAS DISCOVERED
THAT THERE WAS AN AMAZING,
AMAZING HOUSE HERE, HOUSE AND
STORE BEHIND THE WEEDS, WHEN
THAT WAS CLEAR 3D THEY
UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF
WHAT HAD BEEN UNCOVERED, THEY
DECIDED TO GIVE MHA AN EASEMENT
ON THE PROPERTY SO THAT AN
ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE THEIR
FAMILY COULD SAFEGUARD THE
FUTURE OF THIS SITE.
>>THE MECKLENBURG HISTORICAL
ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED THE HUGH
TORRANCE HOUSE AND STORE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS TO OVERSEE AND
OPERATE THE TORRANCE HOUSE AND
STORE HISTORIC SITE.
>> IT'S A CHALLENGE FOR ANY
HISTORIC SITE TO LOOK AFTER JUST
THE PHYSICAL HOUSE OR WHATEVER
IT MIGHT BE.
BECAUSE IT'S AN OLD BUILDING.
THE BUILDING GOES BACK AND PARTS
OF IT GO BACK TO THE 1770 S .
IT'S A VERY OLD STRUCTURE AND
WAS ADDED ONTO OVER TIME BUT
THERE ARE ALWAYS MAINTENANCE
ITEMS AND THE CRITTERS GET
TRYING TO CHEW THEIR WAY IN AND
WIRES GET CHEWED AND THINGS
HAPPEN TO IT BECAUSE IT SITS
HERE WITHOUT AN OCCUPANT.
>> AND THAT'S WHERE DAVID
STROUD'S EXPERTISE COMES INTO
PLAY.
>> WHAT I DO IS WORK WITH
INSTITUTIONS AND PRIVATE OWNERS
OF HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND HELP
THEM DEVELOP PLANS OF
PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION.
MEANING WHAT NEEDS TO BE
ADDRESSED NOW IN THE
PRESERVATION OF A STRUCTURE.
WHAT CAN BE DEFERRED LATER DOWN
THE ROAD.
>> WHILE THE CEDAR GROVE
PLANTATION HOUSE IS STILL A
PRIVATE HOME AND NOT OPEN TO THE
PUBLIC, THE HUGH TORRANCE HOUSE
AND STORE IS OPEN FOR TOURISTS.
>> PEOPLE COME IN AND SAY I
DRIVE BY THIS PLACE ALL THE TIME
AND I'VE NEVER BEEN IN AND SO
THEY'RE JUST CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT
WE HAVE HERE.
I THINK THEY FIND THE STORE
INTERESTING.
THE TYPE OF MERCHANDISE THAT WAS
SOLD HERE AND BECAUSE THE FAMILY
KEPT SUCH GOOD RECORDS, WE KNOW
A LOT ABOUT WHAT WE SOLD IN THE
STORE.
>> HOW MANY PLACES CAN YOU GO
AND SEE WHAT SHOPPING LOOKED
LIKE?
IT'S PARTICULARLY FASCINATING TO
CHILDREN WHO COME BECAUSE THEY
HAVE TROUBLE WRAPPING THEIR
HEADS AROUND YOU CAN'T GO TO
WAL-MART OR KMART AND BUY TENNIS
SHOES AND TOYS.
HISTORY IS MOST EFFECTIVELY
LEARNED WITH HANDS-ON, VISUAL
EXPERIENCE, BUT I THINK IT IS
HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR ALL THE FEW
HISTORIC SITES THAT WE HAVE
SURVIVING IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY
TO BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
WE DO TOURS IF YOU CALL AND ASK
FOR A TOUR, WE'LL GIVE YOU ONE
IF YOU HAVE A GROUP.
WE DO THEM FOR SCOUT GROUPS AND
SCHOOL GROUPS AND HISTORIC
GROUPS.
ANYONE THAT CALLS CAN JUST HAVE
A SCHEDULE A SPECIAL TOUR FOR
THEM, BUT THE HOUSE IS ALSO
OWNEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TWO
SUNDAYS.
THE FIRST AND THE THIRD SUNDAY
OF EVERY MONTH FROM APRIL
THROUGH OCTOBER EACH YEAR.
AND THE PUBLIC CAN DROP BY.
IT'S OPEN 2:00 TO 5:00 ON THOSE
SUNDAYS AND YOU CAN COME BY.
WHAT YOU GET IS A GLIMPSE INTO
THE 18 T H CENTURY IN THE BACK
COUNTRY OF MECKLENBURG COUNTY,
AND IT'S SO UNIQUE BECAUSE THIS
IS THE OLDEST STANDING STORE IN
NORTH CAROLINA, TO OUR
KNOWLEDGE.
>> THIS-- LIKE I SAID BEFORE,
THIS IS A RARE SURVIVOR FOR THIS
REGION OF NORTH CAROLINA.
WHAT BUILDINGS WE DO HAVE, EVERY
EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO-- TO
MAINTAIN THEM TO MAKE THEM PART
OF OUR CONTINUED HISTORY.
>> THE TOWN OF HUNTERSVILLE HAS
REALLY EMBRACED TORRANCE HOUSE
AND STORE AS ONE OF ITS TOURIST
DESTINATIONS.
THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE HELP
BECAUSE THEY HELP US FUND THE
ONGOING CARE FOR IT EACH YEAR.
WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT, IT WOULD
NOT BE OPENED.
SO HUNTERSVILLE HAS REALLY DONE
A WONDERFUL JOB OF STEPPING UP
TO THE PLATE AND LOOKING AFTER
SOMETHING THAT IS PART OF THEIR
HISTORY.
>> IF WE ERASE EVERY PHYSICAL
PIECE OF OUR HISTORY OF THE
COUNTY, THE COMING GENERATIONS
WON'T HAVE A CLUE, NUMBER ONE,
THAT WE EVEN HAD A HISTORY, AND
NUMBER TWO, WHAT THAT IS
COMPRISED OF.
>> I DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP
TORRANCE AND I AM MAKING IT MY
GOAL TO BE SURE THAT MY CHILDREN
KNOW THE HISTORY SO THAT THEY
CAN CARRY IT ON.
>> IT'S A SPECIAL PLACE TO LIVE
AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF
ME AND YOU KNOW, I JUST CAN'T
IMAGINE LIVING ANYWHERE ELSE.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIVE ANYWHERE
ELSE AND I WOULDN'T WANT ANY
OTHER LIFE THAN I HAVE LIVING IN
THIS HOUSE.
I'M THE SIXTH GENERATION OF MY
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN.
>> I CARRY IN MY HEART AND SHARE
THE STORY ON WITH THOSE WHO I
LOVE THE MOST.
I'M AMAZED THAT I WAS SO
PRIVILEGED TO HAVE THIS
EXPERIENCE.
>> WELL THIS CONCLUDES OUR LOOK
AT THE HUGH TORRANCE HOUSE AND
STORE IN CEDAR GROVE.
WE THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND BE
SURE TO JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR A
TRAIL OF HISTORY.