We had plenty of work to do this Saturday during our NOMA Volunteer Work Day, and the morning rain and cold might have tried, but did little to slow us down!
Historic Salisbury Foundation, through their revolving fund, is working on... not one...not two...but THREE endangered homes along North Main Street in the historic district here. We called on volunteers to help with interior and exterior cleanup ~ and boy! Did they come! Volunteers could be seen up and down the north section of the neighborhood with rakes, pruners, loppers, chainsaws, and more ~ working at 1428, 1600, and 1623 North Main ~ all wanting to be a part of this awesome neighborhood revitalization!
1428 North Main Street
1428 North Main Street, built in 1900 (some think 1898), has been known as the neighborhood's 'Scaffolding House' for far too long. This grand home had become an unfortunate landmark along the North Main corridor into the City of Salisbury, so you can imagine the neighborhood's delight when Historic Salisbury Foundation retained ownership of the home and began restoration efforts in earnest! When Elaine Myers-Hillard, who was born and raised in this home, heard of the preservation effort of her family home, she contacted NOMA with donations and stories, expressing a deep gratitude for these restorative efforts! This home has already gone through dramatic change, and volunteers today cleared vast piles of overgrown brush from the surrounding landscape...rain and all!
The circa 1900 Myers-Morris Home at 1428 will be a masterpiece when finally restored. A huge home with 5 bedrooms upstairs, it will charm your socks off with its vintage beadboard walls, arched entry to the parlor, and original mantels! Much more work will go into this home, but it is FOR SALE through the Historic Salisbury Foundation.
Be sure to contact HSF at (704) 636-0103 to learn more about this great opportunity!
1600 North Main Street
1600 North Main Street is another circa 1900 home that HSF is helping to restore! This once-gorgeous Folk Victorian cottage with its pebble-dash exterior has more glory days in its future ~ thanks to the efforts of HSF and the many volunteers that descended upon the property today...cleaning inside and out! This home is a wonderful example of the late Victorian character of the North Main Neighborhood with steeply sloped hipped roofs with projecting gables and dormers, its asymmetrical facade featuring recessed entry on one side, and its wrap-around porch with turned posts. Speaking of porch ~ just look at that sweep of veranda! You can see yourself enjoying a summer evening there, for sure!
1623 North Main Street
1623 North Main Street, although cute as a button, is another endangered home in the area. Set above the street level on a terraced lot, this interesting Victorian frame cottage with its gabled roof is strongly influenced by the Colonial Revival style with its pedimented porch, supported by tall columns with a simple balustrade, which wraps around its projecting front parlor section. Neighborhood tradition states that it was built about 1910 by southern Railway clerk, J.D. Barber, and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the J.D. Barber House. Volunteers worked tirelessly to clear the interior to make way for restoration efforts, and clipped and raked exterior landscaping until you might not recognize that it's the same abode!
Our fantastic team of volunteers worked for hours clearing heavy brush and overgrowth from the landscape. This 2-bedroom cottage with its own wrap-around porch and large yard will make a very fine home for its new owner in the near future!If you couldn't make it out today, but you wish you could be a part of this revitalization and restoration effort...it's not too late! The Historic Salisbury Foundation has a Go Fund Me Campaign in effect to help raise the many thousands of dollars to implement the necessary repairs to stabilize these homes! You can help by donating...even just a little bit! Every dollar helps!
Neighborhoods Unite!
We'd like to give a shout-out to Salisbury's Brooklyn South Square, West Square, and Park Avenue Neighborhoods for joining our efforts today! What a great vibe this creates in our downtown neighborhoods! Thanks, all!
And . . . Koco Java!
We have one last shout-out...
Koco Java!
Thanks for the donation of much-needed and appreciated COFFEE today! THANKS SO MUCH!
So...to all our wonderful volunteers today ~ Historic Salisbury Foundation ~ donors to Go Fund Me ~ and to Koco Java ~ Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are FABULOUS!
The North Main Neighborhood
northmainneighborhood@gmail.com
Photo credits to Brian Davis and Doug Black at Historic Salisbury Foundation
