THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 29, 1994 TAG: 9411290283
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 51 lines
Every picture tells a story, or so the saying goes.
The same is true for old homes and buildings. Whether art deco, Victorian or Revival, a structure's architectural style can speak volumes about the history of a community.
Two Virginia historians are trying to get a glimpse of Manteo's architectural past, as part of a study funded by the North Carolina Department of Archives and History and private sources. The Manteo Preservation trust has contracted with Roanoke-based scholars J. Daniel Pezzoni and Leslie A. Giles for an architectural survey of the town. Their work began last weekend.
Bebe Woody, president of the Manteo Preservation Trust, said that little remains of the old Manteo business district, but that researchers may find a treasure trove in the town's older homes.
``Three fires caused great devastation to the town between 1920 and 1940, and are the reason the face of Manteo has changed over the years,'' Woody said. ``Only one downtown building - built at the turn of the century - remains from those ruinous fires. Fortunately, the residential areas of the town have remained intact, and there are some fine representative examples from Manteo's early history.''
Pezzoni and Giles recently completed an architectural survey of Columbia in nearby Tyrrell County, Lee and Onslow counties in North Carolina, and Shenandoah County, Va. They will survey approximately 200 historic resources within the Manteo town limits, and prepare a report on Manteo's architectural and historic development.
Completion is expected by April, and will include recommendations concerning properties that may be eligible for the National register of Historic Places.
Pezzoni said he is excited about the project, and is seeking information from local residents about area structures.
``I've found when doing these surveys that some of my best information comes from residents,'' Pezzoni said. ``It is extremely helpful, and contributes to the depth and accuracy of the survey.''
Upon completion of the study, the Manteo Preservation Trust plans to begin the development of a Manteo architectural design guideline to assist citizens who may want to build or remodel homes and businesses in keeping with the community's history. The trust will also assist homeowners who have properties eligible for the national register in the nomination process.
``It's all voluntary,'' Woody said. ``But we hope to encourage residents to recapture our 20th century coastal heritage and architectural appearance.'' by CNB