|
Superintendent’s
House
Circa
1830
118
Carroll Street, Eden, NC
This two-story brick
structure is Eden’s only dwelling directly associated with the beginning of
the local textile industry.
Tradition associates the house with JAMES BARNETT who purchased
2,912 acres along the Smith River from the BYRD-FARLEY Estate in 1813.
Shortly afterwards, BARNETT built the Spray Canal and a grist mill less
than 100 yards southeast of the house, which may have been constructed
about this time. JOHN MOTLEY MOREHEAD became the sole owner of over 1,000
acres of the BARNETT property west of the Smith River in 1836, and the
following year began construction of the Leaksville Cotton Mill, west of
the grist mill. Because the property has been part of large tracts of land,
its occupancy is difficult to determine, although it may have served as the
home of JOHN HALL BULLARD, who came from Boston to set up machinery for
MOREHEAD’S mill and then acted as mill superintendent. The next person
associated with the house was JAMES RAY, who was in Spray by 1840 and was
listed as “Factory Manager” in the 1860 census. The house later served as
an office and storage facility for the Leaksville Woolen Mill. It changed
ownership numerous times since then, and was deeded to the Eden
Preservation Society in 1985.
Source:
A Tale of Three Cities, Eden’s Heritage: A Pictorial Survey of Leaksville, Spray and Draper. Published by the Eden Historic
Preservation Commission, 1998 (available for sale at the Eden Historical
Museum and at Eden
City Hall).
The
Superintendent’s House is owned by the Eden
Preservation Society and is in need of restoration, but we NEED YOUR HELP!
Make
your check payable to:
Eden
Preservation Society (Superintendent’s House Fund).
All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
MORE
HISTORIC PROPERTIES
|
