Buy your tickets before they're gone to be part of something extraordinary at Pender County Historical Society's Sloop Point Home program and tour. The opening to the public of this charming 300 year-old private home is a rare event, and we want you to be there!
The house dates back to the earliest permanent settlement of the Cape Fear region, the year when Brunswick Town was founded before Wilmington. The home is a remarkable survivor of time with most original features intact.
The two-story West Indies influenced structure features a wide piazza, a unique massive walk-through chimney, ballast stone foundation and cellar, original Georgian period paneling, flooring and doors, along with other interesting design features. During the colonial period, the plantation was an active small port and shipyard visited by shallow draft sailing sloops.
It was built by John Baptista Ashe, an early leader in the colony, who received land grants of several thousand acres overlooking Topsail Sound. The Ashes owned it for three generations as a coastal retreat and plantation before a succession of prominent owners followed. The MacMillan family held it for 147 years.
John Baptista Ashe founded a dynasty of North Carolina leaders for generations in military, political, and business life. Two sons, John and Samuel, rose to be leaders in the American Revolution, then Samuel held many state offices rising to governor. John married Rebecca Moore, the sister of James Moore, whose military service earned him promotion as Brigadier General over of all the Continental forces in the South.
During the Civil War, the plantation's waterfront also saw Union U.S. Naval raids commanded by Lt. William Cushing on the salt works and the destruction of a Confederate blockade runner, the schooner Cooper Alexander. The latter raid on 22 Aug 1863 earned Seaman Robert T. Clifford the U.S. Medal of Honor for his valor.
A 40 minute program in the barn at 12:30, repeated at 1:30, will reveal the story of these times in the life of the home.Speaking will be historian/author Chris E. Fonvielle, Jr., UNCW Professor Emeritus, and Michael Y. Taylor of the society and retired director of Pender County Library. On the grounds will be living history demonstrations by Brunwick Town State Historic Site and NC Maritime Museum in Southport about colonial indigo production, and Moores Creek National Battlefield about 18th century musketry. Also learn about salt production at an original salt pan from the antebellum salt works at the plantation.
The house was rescued in the 1990’s by Walter and Mae Graves when the home was headed toward ruin. It was during that time that the NC State Historic Preservation Office determined it was the oldest known building in the state. In 2013 a portion of a small structure in Edenton, possibly originally a tavern, was later identified as older.
The private home has not been opened to the public since 2007. An opportunity is not likely to be repeated for many more years, if ever. Pender County Historical Society is grateful to the owners for this opportunity and for your support as well.
The event will be held rain or shine, and as this is a charitable benefit, there will be no refunds.
Tickets: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/sloop-point-house-tour
Contact: Michael Taylor, taylormy1955@yahoo.com, 910-604-4301