Preservation Greensboro Development Fund
Located at 2058 Brentwood Street in the Springfield section of South High Point
This property was sold with a preservation easement in 2014.
Through the advocacy of Preservation Greensboro, one of North Carolina’s most interesting Civil War-era historic sites was donated to the Preservation Greensboro’s Development Fund, which in turn sold the property to a nonprofit with plans to restore the property.
The Model Farm is located on Brentwood Street in the southern section of High Point. The house was constructed around 1867 just after the Civil War by Quakers, and stands as an important site representing Quaker history. It was important for providing new agricultural technology to farmers in the state that were suffering from the devastation caused by the Civil War. During the 1870s and 1880s, the farm attracted a great deal of attention for its progressive and innovative agricultural practices. It was so successful that North Carolina Governor Jonathan Worth proclaimed the farm as the “only green spot” in the Carolinas.
The two-acre tract of land contains the original farmhouse, a 2,300 square foot home with many historic details such as a wide front porch, a three-sided bay window bay, and arched windows in the walk-in attic. Interior appointments reflect Quaker values of simplicity and include high-ceilings, plaster walls and ceilings, and running water. These amenities were novel in the South in the years after the Civil War. Due to the site’s deep history and unusual features, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2010.
The property was donated to the Preservation Greensboro Development Fund, Inc. by former owners Ruth and Bruce Whitten of Manteca, California. The gift was made through a deed that incorporates preservation restrictions requiring a working dialog between future owners of the Model Farm and Preservation Greensboro to ensure that the house and its charming details are refurbished and remain intact for future generations to enjoy. This is the first property in High Point to enjoy the protection of an easement through Preservation Greensboro, and the ninth in Guilford County. Other historic properties protected with easements established and administered by Preservation Greensboro are located in Greensboro and Whitsett.
The Model Farm was sold to Kent Berry of The Model Farm in High Point, NC, Inc. who agreed to a rehabilitation agreement and easement that provides that all plans and modifications to the property will be made with approval by the Fund. Once restored, the farm house will be used as a Counseling Center, and the acreage will once again be used for agricultural and educational purposes.
Due to its historic significance, the property is recognized as a Guilford County Landmark, a designation that provided for additional protection of the historic character of the site. The project remains active, and plans are being developed for a careful restoration and reuse of this landmark property.
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