DISCLAIMER: I am in no way a historian or an expert on anything in this blog post. I just love old buildings and think it's really cool to live in such an old city.
Recently I've been researching a lot about Richlands, the small historic agriculture community I live in just outside Jacksonville, North Carolina. I've learned it was founded in March of 1880 (Happy Birthday) and was the first town in the county to have its own library, museum, and a female mayor. I learned who the important pillars of the community were, and that most of them still have family in the area! It mostly farms tobacco, corn, and cotton and the oldest church in Onslow County was built in 1731, and is right down the street from me!
Here are just a few of the sites I can get up close enough to photograph (mostly from my car) without trespassing:
The Cox Hotel
Formerly known as the Hotel Richlands, opened in 1905.
The home originally belonged to Stephen R. Wallace and was built in 1840. Wallace often opened his house to students at the Richlands Academy leading to an expansion of the home "to become one of the most stylish Victorian dwellings in the heart of Richlands" according to Dan Pezzoni, a local historian. The home was later sold to Martha Lauria Barbee Cox and Alavia Bryant Cox in 1905. Census show Martha ran the hotel (from 1905-1937) while Alavia focused on the farm.
The Sylvester House
Oldest home in Richlands, built in 1860 (which doesn't make sense based on what I just wrote about the Cox Hotel)
Nathaniel Sylvester III was a prominent farmer who also sold surrounding 1-2 acre plots of land in around 1850 when, according to deeds, the town was known as the "Village of Richlands", consisted of no more than a church, two stores, a school building, gin and sawmill, and probably five residents.(livingplaces.com) The home originally had a Greek Revival interior detailing. His son with the same name, who owned Richlands Supply Company (which I'm pretty sure is still around), later expanded the house by adding the two tier front porch (which has been removed again), an asymmetrical center-hall plan, bay window, and a formerly semi-detached one-story kitchen and dining room ell. Later a car port, brick wall surround, and aluminum siding were added.
Venter's Farm
Tenant House #5 built in 1896
The farm property still sits on both sides of US 258 (Richlands Hwy). The huge plot of land consists of a farm house (mostly hidden from the road by trees) and about 23 other contributing buildings. These tenant house are located across the street from the main house.
(I don't really know what happened to this house but it is abandoned now)
Tenant House #4 on Venter's Farm property built in 1896
Tobacco Barn #5 built in the early 20th century
Downtown Richlands
(year unknown)
(Sorry, there's a glare from my car)
Futral Farm House
Built in 1885. A typical saddle notched log cabin of that era that was expanded in 1906.
Built in 1885. A typical saddle notched log cabin of that era that was expanded in 1906.
Avirett House at Catherine Lake
Built in 1850. This was the summer home of John A. Avirett Sr., the largest antebellum turpentine planter in Onslow County at the time. His main house is along Richlands Hwy and can also barely be seen from the road. Zillow pictures of it though are incredible, and the last time it sold it went for over a million dollars!
Pelletier House
Built in the 1850s by Rufus Ferrand Pelletier. It sits atop Wantland Spring along New River. Originally part of a turpentine lot.This is the oldest standing structure in Jacksonville.
Athough not in Richlands, I thought it was really cute.
