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2 <br />long-term care and preservation of this historically significant site. They have approached <br />the Eno River Association and the Triangle Land Conservancy but are not getting any <br />help there. The Quakers are concerned that the two small local meetings will not be able <br />to care for this over the long term. There will be a volunteer cleanup workday on Saturday <br />March 10. There is a reasonable case to be made for requesting county ownership. <br />Issues include a current survey and how to establish legal ownership, probably through <br />quit claim deeds with surrounding property owners. There is no immediate threat. <br />Discussion followed. Issues will include legal access since this is landlocked, parking if <br />any, and having some type of agreement with the Quakers to cover maintenance, perhaps <br />a rolling lease agreement or MOA that delegates maintenance rights to the Quakers. <br />Ideas included having property owner on the north donate an easement for the <br />archaeological sites of the old school and meeting house, just north of the cemetery. This <br />would create a sort of historical and archaeological preserve. Probably better to not have <br />a sign, just the granite one already in place. There is a parallel issue at the Gov. Burke <br />grave site. Members believe county ownership seems to be a reasonable option and <br />asked staff to move forward with county legal staff to explore the issues with county <br />ownership and report back in 3 months with a list of details and options. Then the HPC <br />can decide to pass a motion on this matter. The Quakers have brought this issue to us for <br />action, so we need to move forward. <br /> <br />d. Courthouse Square Preservation Project: <br />Staff reported on results of ground-penetrating radar assessment of the old courthouse <br />square last summer. The radar identified some features that we know about from the <br />Sanborn maps, but not the old jail site and did not find any solid evidence of the earlier <br />courthouses. So the next step is to embark on some sort of conventional archaeology at <br />the north end of the square, at the sites of the two earlier courthouses. This could be <br />carried out as a public archaeology event, with special programming for school groups <br />and visitors. The Alliance is interested in helping with the public side of this. Volunteer <br />teams could be enlisted to help with certain aspects of the dig. We are also interested in <br />doing some test pits at the building foundation, to look for the builder’s trench from the <br />1845 construction. The archaeology findings could help generate new materials for the <br />proposed interpretive signs. Members also talked about a long-term plan for the building, <br />and what future uses might be possible. Funding is now budgeted in future years for the <br />long-range preservation of the courthouse. But future use will also hinge on how the <br />county resolves its current search for a site for the new detention facility. Ultimately, the <br />building is owned by the county but controlled by the court system. In some ways, we <br />should be happy that the building is being used for its original purpose and appreciated by <br />the court system. <br /> <br />e. Historic Preservation Month: Activities at Blackwood Farm <br />Staff reviewed showed photos of the program that HPC members did last year for the <br />annual Farm Heritage day, with Soil Service, Extension, the Forest Service etc. Members <br />discussed and agreed they would like to participate again this year. Lively discussion <br />followed about potential activities. Members are interested in doing this again this year. <br />There were suggestions about having traditional music playing, possibly a fiddler on the <br />front porch, but we need to be mindful of being correct for the period, which extends from <br />the 1827 date of the house up until the 1930s-1940s, which is our cutoff for interpretation <br />of the farmstead. We will have about 15 minutes for each class, for two hours in the <br />morning and 2 hours after lunch. Art volunteered to help with a preservation month social <br />media event, which will be an important activity for the HPC. His wife may be interested in <br />helping too. Funding will be needed for a musician? <br /> <br />f. CLG requirements and membership: <br />Staff reviewed the state and federal guidelines for HPC membership and professional <br />qualifications, as we move forward to seek new members. We are charged by the state to