ARCHAEOLOGY

The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office conducted excavations prior to restoration and outbuilding reconstructions at the John Wheeler House, and a state grant for additional excavations of the kitchen site was awarded in 1994. Underwater archaeological surveys of Meherrin, Wiccacon, Blackwater, and Chowan rivers were conducted in 1986. Excavation of the Keel Creek Shipwreck was conducted in 1984. In addition, the Historic Preservation Office statewide inventory contains information on over 200 prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in Hertford County.

ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY

Historic Preservation Office staff conducted a county reconnaissance survey in the mid 1970s, and an intensive survey of Harrellsville in 1992.

GRANTS

State grants of $804,242 and $85,000 in federal grants have assisted various survey and restoration projects in Murfreesboro, Ahoskie, and Winton.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES

Twenty-three listings in the National Register of Historic Places include historic districts in Murfreesboro, Ahoskie, and Harrellsville, and twenty individual listings, with many important regional plantation houses and other landmarks.

LOCAL PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS

Hertford County has established a historic properties commission, and Murfreesboro has a historic district commission. The Murfreesboro Historic District is a locally designated district and nine individual properties in Murfreesboro are locally designated landmarks.

PRESERVATION TAX CREDITS

Two income-producing tax credit projects have been completed in Hertford County at a total construction investment of $152,000: the Gingerbread House and the Rea-Lassiter House, both in Murfreesboro. The Historic Preservation Office reviews and provides restoration technical services for all preservation tax credit projects.

PUBLIC EDUCATION

Historic Preservation Office staff assisted the Murfreesboro Historical Association in the development of a Heritage Education program in local schools. Historic Preservation Office staff have also lectured at several preservation workshops held at Chowan College and sponsored by the Murfreesboro Historical Association.

RESTORATION

The Historic Preservation Office has provided technical restoration services to numerous projects in Murfreesboro, Winton, and Ahoskie and in the county. Some of the projects include the John Wheeler House, the Wheeler House kitchen reconstruction, the Rea Museum, Winborn Store, Roberts-Vaughn House, Hertford Academy, Murfree Law Office, the former Murfreesboro High School, the Dr. Walter Reed House, the Columns Building at Chowan College, the C. S. Brown School in Winton; and the Gallery Theater in Ahoskie. Staff presented a symposium on historic hardware in Murfreesboro in June, 1995, and a workshop on historic building maintenance in Ahoskie in August, 1995.