Submitted to the Daily Reflector January, 2008 Plantation Homes Show North Carolina's Rich Heritage
Special to the Daily Reflector by Fred Harrison
In comparison to other region's in the South, relatively little information has been previously available concerning North Carolina's plantation-era dwellings. Early antebellum historian U.B. Phillips made scant mention of Tyrrell County's Somerset Plantation as perhaps the largest working plantation in the state prior to the Civil War, but basically conveyed the view that little in the way of grand homes existed in North Carolina. While at face value this might have credence given the state's modest character, two recently published volumes suggest a different understanding. Published in 2007, "Hayes, the Plantation, its People and Their Papers" may be one of the most significant additions to the state's preservationist literature to be released in recent years.
The Edenton home of James Cathcart Johnston, a progressive farmer and son of former North Carolina governor Samuel Johnston, Hayes was designed by the British architect William Nichols. Construction of the mansion and outbuildings began in 1814. With a myriad of opportunities open to him, Johnston chose to remain with the land and build upon the modest wealth turned over to him by his father. In his retirement years, Samuel Johnston built a home in Williamston dubbed the "Hermitage" on which, according to record, he lavished a great deal of attention in furnishing. By 1913, only the English-made brick cellars remained to testify to its existence.
James C. Johnston shared many of his father's interests in building and collecting. By the time of his death in 1865, James C. Johnston had become one of North Carolina's richest planters. Having no children or widow, his decision to disconnect with a favored extended family member for control of his estate and reward it instead to trusted business associates led to a notorious legal battle over his will in 1866. In the end, Edward Wood assumed control of Johnston's Edenton properties, including Hayes. The remainder of the volume chronicles the Wood family's association with Hayes, which continues to the present day, and theor excellent record of stewardship.
Another equally interesting monograph on the North Carolina plantation dwelling is Catherine Bihir's "The House Marina Built: Cherry Hill: a Plantation House and its Family." A foremost authority on North Carolina architecture and author of the widely acclaimed UNC Press release "North Carolina Architecture" in 1990, Bishir takes a departure from the usual scholarly exploration of building practices and themes to narrate the evolution of a Warren County plantation home gleaned from the record of everyday life by original and past occupants. A widowed Marina Williams Alston in her 50s undertook the building of one of the last of a once impressive group of Italianate style plantation homes in Warren County just before the Civil War. Working with popular Warrenton builder Jacob W. Holt and contractor John A. Waddell, she designed a house that served the needs of hosting the extended family among her numerous Williams and Alston relations.
Opening front rooms directly onto the porch via sliding glass doors and having projectong bay windows at each end of the house to accommodate small conservatories for her cherished plants, Marina intended the things most important to her to come together in one well-environed scheme. The remainder of the book examines the progression of the plantation after Marina's death as family members continued to occupy the house and surrounding acreage until the 1980s.
For more information on these and other resources connected with North Carolina's plantation culture and heritage, visit the Verona Joyner Langford North Carolina Collection on the third floor of ECU's Joyner Library and their Web site at ww.ecu.edu/cs-lib/ncc/index.cfm or call (252) 328-6601.
Fred Harrison is a staff member with the North Carolina Collection 
