We Can All Become Preservationists

By Beth Yarbrough

"Hope is hopeless", said the Executive Director of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History. That was back in the 1960's, when Hope Plantation looked like the photo on the left.

Call me crazy, but according to the picture on the right, "hopeless" is looking pretty good these days.

The house was built in the year 1803 by NC Governor David Stone. It is a rare example of a timber structure executed in the Palladian mode, incorporating both Federal and Georgian elements.

Having been neglected for decades, the once grand manor was clearly in dire straits when the people of Bertie County, NC, decided to step in and attempt a rescue - a process which eventually brought them to the doorstep of the aforementioned state official, bless his or her heart.

Forging ahead, they decided to form a non profit. And so it was that in 1965 the Historic Hope Foundation was born. They immediately began gathering support wherever they could, and a mere seven years later, Hope Plantation was fully restored, much to the delight of all concerned.

I'll even guess that the Executive Director of the North Carolina Department of Archives and History was the most delighted (and flabbergasted) of all.

And why am I telling you this?

I have decided to lend a helping hand. Do you care about old houses, feel helpless when you see one crumbling, wonder why someone is letting it happen, wonder what can be done, have no clue where to start but would help if you could? Then you are my people.

I am just like you - a private citizen who cares - and like you, I have felt helpless (and hopeless) across ten years of traveling the South’s backroads and small towns, mourning the loss of houses that need not have died. But in the process, I have learned a lot. There are solutions available, and there is no reason the information can’t be shared and put to use everywhere. Even if you are only one person, you can make a difference right where you live.

I am happy to announce that my book, The Grassroots Guide To Saving What Matters, is through the editing process and set for release by Warren Publishing in June 2025. The book was intended as a small and very handy pocket guide packed with practical information for everyday situations, easily affordable and understood by everyday people who simply want to help.

Keep an eye on this page as I will announce pre-ordering information as soon as my publisher provides it.