A reminder of the ANTEBELLUM SOUTH.

Doesn’t this look like something out of “Gone With The Wind” ?

It’s actually a homestead that I’ve passed over the last 30 years whenever I’ve headed south from North Carolina on Rt 500. I look forward to seeing it every time I take that trip; but, I’ve never actually stopped and photographed it until now.

A view from the side of the house shows the many out- buildings … some even attached to the main house, like they are in New England. I have no idea who lives here or if it’s changed hands over the years. There seems to be no rhyme nor reason why the house is situated where it is.



For starters there are no other homes or structures in the area that come anywhere near the elegance of this one. The property is situated on a corner and I pass many barren miles of cotton fields and poor, run-down barns and houses before getting here.

I have no idea if this is true but here’s what I imagine:

In the early 1800’s (the Antebellum era) this was the main house (complete with separate kitchen house and slave quarters) of a large plantation. All those acres of cotton fields that I passed were probably part of this estate. Horse-drawn carriages would travel well oiled dirt roads to approach the house.

And now we have all that’s left of that historic era…a very well maintained manor on a small piece of acreage. The white fence that encircles it is certainly a modern addition and seems to be saying: “no more encroaching. This is as far as it goes !”