Title
Receive a presentation from planning staff and consultants regarding the Chatham County Architectural Survey Update Phase One
Abstract
Introduction & Background: Chatham County conducted an architectural survey in the late 1980s, with the final report released in 1991. Although the survey anticipated future growth, the pace of development has been far more rapid than expected, significantly transforming the county’s rural character. In response to this accelerated change, the Board of Commissioners determined that a comprehensive update to the Architectural Survey would be both timely and beneficial.
This updated survey and inventory of resources will support preservation efforts and foster greater appreciation of both historic and newly recognized architectural assets, with a special emphasis on documenting Chatham’s history of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, particularly in relation to agricultural heritage. Special attention will be paid to BIPOC owned farms from both the pre- and post-bellum periods, as this was not a main focus in the original survey.
Additionally, this project will explore the impact of migration patterns in the 1960s and 1970s on the county’s-built environment. We have anecdotal knowledge of unique and innovative homes built during this period, particularly by scientists, doctors, professors, and other professionals who may have been influenced by nearby institutions of higher learning. However, a comprehensive survey is needed to document these structures, understand their architectural significance, and assess broader trends. Were any distinctive homes built in the county’s rural and wooded areas? Did proximity to institutions of higher learning such as Duke, UNC, and NC-State contribute to experimental or modernist designs?
Furthermore, we are interested in examining major residential developments from this era, such as Fearrington Village, to understand how planned communities contributed to the county’s growth and architectural identity.
Discussion & Analysis: The first phase of the project will include updating existing survey files for rural Chatham County, excluding those properties located within the municipal boundaries of Pittsboro, Siler City, Goldston, Cary, and Apex. Between 1982 and 1986, Rachel Osborn completed a Comprehensive Architectural Survey of the county’s thirteen (13) townships and the town of Siler City. Ruth Selden-Sturgill then completed a survey of Pittsboro.
The results of the two surveys resulted in a Multiple Property Documentation Form for the National Register and a 391-page publication on the historic architecture of the county. Other site numbers have been assigned during Section 106-related surveys and because of general constituent inquiries, including National Register listings. To date, the HPO has assigned 891 survey site numbers in Chatham County, of which approximately 550 appear to be located in rural areas.
An evaluation of building loss since the 1980s, when Chatham County was initially surveyed, can help identify trends in demolition and redevelopment which can, in turn, influence regional planning policy. Architectural Survey also provides location of historic resources that, when mapped, can be quickly and easily identified in the aftermath of natural disasters or considered during the planning of new residential, commercial, and transportation projects. Phase one will also include the preparation of a report outlining the findings of the survey update as well as the identification of up to 400 properties to be surveyed in Phase two.
Phase two will include the full architectural survey of up to 400 properties and the preparation of historic and architectural context for Chatham County in the mid- to late-twentieth century. One of the goals of countywide survey should always be the documentation of a broad range of property types, building styles, and community stories. Early surveys tended to focus on the history of European settlements and prioritized the documentation of the most architecturally distinctive buildings. As a result, the surveys and written histories were inherently skewed toward the documentation of upper-class white properties and buildings.
Current surveys must aim to tell a more inclusive and collective story of the county, by documenting culturally and socially significant resources as well as architecturally distinctive buildings. Because this distinction lies in the building’s ownership and use, it is necessary to speak to residents throughout the county to identify the places that are significant to the varied populations of Chatham County. The consultant will coordinate the survey materials and report with the Chatham County Planning Department and the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Properties that appear eligible for the National Register of Historic Places will be presented to the NC-HPO and the National Register Advisory Committee.
In total this project will update approximately 550 existing survey records and add approximately 400 new survey records to the countywide inventory of historic resources. A survey report summarizing the findings of the survey; the architectural, social, and agricultural developments of the county in the mid- to late-twentieth century; and recommendations for further study and National Register listing will be prepared.
How does this relate to the Comprehensive Plan: N/A
Budgetary Impact: The cost of this project, not exceeding 300,000 dollars, was approved by the board of commissioners and will be paid over three budget cycles.
Recommendation/Motion: Receive a presentation from planning staff and consultants regarding the Chatham County Architectural Survey Update Phase One.