Agenda - 02-15-2005-10a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Historic Blackwood Farm - Interim Stewardship Plan (DRf1F'2') C. Property Description The property is in a rural residential section of the New Hope community, It is bounded to the east by NC 86, to the south by New Hope Church Road and undeveloped land, to the west by Interstate 40 and undeveloped woodlands, and to the north by eight residential lots on Cheyenne Drive. An aerial orthophoto of the Blackwood Farm property (Spring 2003) is provided as Attachment B. Natural Features Blackwood Farm is situated in a highly scenic rural setting. Roughly half of the property is wooded with mixed-aged hazdwood trees and young pine. The terrain slopes from both the northern and southern boundaries (600 feet elev,) toward the middle of the property where two small streams (at 530 feet) flow across the property from east to west, The northward vista from New Hope Church Road is considered one of the County's most scenic viewscapes. The two streams (New Hope Creek tributaries) divide the tract roughly into thirds, with the farmstead on a shaded rise in the middle third, One of the streams feeds athree-acre pond. The northern third of the property includes three hay fields and 30-acre pine plantation, One of the hayfields is cleazly visible from Interstate 40, The southern third of the property features a wide, open hayfield, which is prominent in the long vista of the property from New Hope Church Road, The southwest corner of the property contains part of an important natural area located in the southern wooded portion along New Hope Church Road. The natural area-known as the "New Hope Church Road Basic Forest"-is identified in the Orange County b:ve~:tory of Natural Areas a~:d Wildlife Habitat, This intact oak-hickory forest hosts a lazge population of a raze plant, Bush's sedge (Carex bushii). A description of the natural azea is provided as Attachment C. Structures and Improvements Structures on the property aze clustered within the farmstead azea located at the west end of the driveway entrance from NC 86, They consist of the house, well house, smokehouse, milk house, chicken house, corncrib, milking shed, bazn, gazage, and shed, Photos of these buildings are provided in Attachment D, According to the Historic Preservation Commission, the "period of significance" the fazmstead is azound 1920-1940 because the house and surviving outbuildings reflect that period of Blackwood ownership, While the original sections of the two-story farmhouse date to the 1820s and 1840s, the present exterior appearance can be characterized as a 1920s bungalow. An initial assessment of the house and outbuildings by Tina Moon (Preservation Planner) is provided as Attachment E, Recommendations from the Historic