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 ...
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