Step back in time with Historian Georgena Duncan for an engaging exploration of the homes and building practices in and
around Fayetteville through the 1870s. Together,
we’ll examine the few homes that still survive,
study photographs of those long gone, and discuss the styles and materials that defined this era
of local architecture. Rather than simply reading
about the past, participants will actively compare building features, trace how housing styles
changed over time, and discover what daily life
looked like within and around these homes.
We’ll explore kitchens, outhouses, barns, and other outbuildings—imagining where families kept
their livestock, horses, and carriages, how they
stored food and furniture, and whether closets
even existed. Participants will gain insights into
how builders and homeowners adapted to their
environment, what their choices reveal about
community life, and how construction costs
shaped design. Learn from expert interpretation,
shared discussion, and the chance to connect Fayetteville’s history to what still stands today.
In the second session, participants will possibly
tour Ridge House, the oldest house in Fayetteville,
the Walker-Stone House, and the Rieff House, currently Moore’s Funeral Chapel. If there is terrible
weather or other unforeseen problems, the fallback tour will be of Headquarters House, which is
the Jonas Tebbets House. Travel to the tour sites
will be up to the student, with further information
on parking to follow