Photos taken by Harmony Hall Plantation, Inc Volunteers
By Charlotte Smith
Hurricane Florence poured rain down causing mold damage at the historic Harmony Hall Plantation in White Oak. The continued rain has made recovery efforts hard.
Harmony Hall Plantation is the 1760’s era home of Col. James Richardson on the Cape Fear River. The plantation today is home to several buildings that span the years from the home’s origin to 1900-including a one-room school which operated in Bladen County during the last quarter of the nineteenth century according to the Plantations report.
The Harmony Hall Plantation, Inc. is a non-profit group working on solutions to the damage caused by the hurricane. Most of the damage is mold. The mold damage was not noticed at first according, Sunday Allen one of the committed committee members.
Allen said the water causing the damage came in from the chimney area. The estimated cost for just materials is $5,000 Allen stated.
“In December, a small force of supporters moved furniture out of the house, cleaned that furniture with moldicide, and treated the interior of the house for mold,” the group announced on their social account.
“The worst mold damage appears in the dining room on the chimney wall. The major mold staining seems to mirror the water mark on the floor of the boys’ bedroom directly above it,” the account continued.
President of the non-profit group, Eric Melvin, Brandon Moore, Treasurer, Sunday Allen, Secretary, and Harry La Rock over the building and grounds, as well as other volunteers are working on solutions to restore the plantation house. The goal is to get the house back open to the public according to Allen.
Funding to operate the historic site comes through donations. Harmony Hall Plantation Village Inc. holds a 501(c)3 tax exemption. If you would like to help the non-profit reach their goal donations can be made through PayPal. You may click here to make a donation or mail a check to:
ATTN: HHPV, Inc C/O E. Melvin, 3401 Old Hwy 41, Bladenboro, NC 28320
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