February 2012
3 posts
6 tags
Feb 9th
3 tags
Feb 1st
5 tags
North Carolina Civil War Supreme Court Judge's...
By Keshia Horn Situated at the end of a long driveway in East Bend, North Carolina is a place filled with Civil War history. One of the most notable people from North Carolina history once called Yadkin County home. North Carolina Chief Supreme Court Justice Richmond Mumford Pearson lived and worked in what is known as Richmond Hill. During the spring and summer months, Judge Pearson would...
Feb 1st
December 2011
1 post
First in Carolina to Declare Independence
On April 4, 1776, North Carolina’s Fourth Provincial Congress met in Halifax County, NC.  After investigating unfair treatment and violences by Great Britain against America, on April 12, 1776, an assigned committee submitted a report then adopted unanimously by the 83 delegates present.  In the later called “Halifax Resolves,” the last paragraph of the document reads: “Resolved, that the...
Dec 5th
November 2011
2 posts
5 tags
Nov 10th
8 tags
Where are the Missing Graves in Happy Hill...
By Judy Stanley Cardwell In the spring of 2011, Rural Initiative Project, Inc. began work on a project across the Salem Creek from Old Salem.  The Salem Moravians called this town “Liberia”, now known as Happy Hill.  On April 29, 1872, the Salem Congregation sold the first two lots to Wm. A. Lemly for Edward (Ned) Lemly and Richard (Rich) Siewers, “colored men”.  This meant that the Freedmen would...
Nov 10th
October 2011
3 posts
5 tags
This Place Matters
  By Stephanie Deutsch You may notice that I’ve changed color — my site has gone from green to brown.  This is to reflect the cover of my book which will be coming out in December.  I have not yet seen and held it in my hands but I do love the way it is going to look.     Next week I will be in Buffalo, New York for the annual conference of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  ...
Oct 21st
11 notes
4 tags
Oct 21st
9 tags
The Allen Grove Rosenwald School & the 4-H Rural...
By Angelo Franceschina  Edited by Judy Cardwell & Keshia Horn If you read Stephanie Duetsch’s article on the Allen Grove School, you can feel her passion about Cary Pittman who constructed the Allen Grove School in 1921 along with 30 other Rosenwald Schools.  I place Cary Pittman’s achievements with Julius Rosenwald and Booker T. Washington as one of the most respected persons in the history...
Oct 20th
August 2011
1 post
Goodbye isn't Always an Ending
A couple of weeks ago, RIPI said goodbye to a wonderful employee.  Austin Wright left at the beginning of August headed to Atlanta.  He will be attending the Georgia Institute of Technology, or Georgia Tech, in pursuit of his Master of Architecture.  All of the Rural Initiative team is sadden to see him leave but we wish him the best of luck in Atlanta! If you wish to send words of encouragement...
Aug 22nd
July 2011
3 posts
9 tags
Preserving Yesterday's Memories for Today's...
By Angelo Franceschina The culmination of over four years of hard work for the Red Bank Community happened on Wednesday, June 22, 2011 at 9:30 am, the historic Red Bank School was moved to its new home at Horizon Park.  The project started when Randall Crews contacted Forsyth County commissioner Beaufort Bailey and myself, President/CEO of the Rural Initiative Project Inc.  Numerous community...
Jul 14th
Featured Guests
The Rural Initiative Project blog was started to give awareness of historic preservation, city revitalizations and other projects going on in cities and states across the southeast by RIPI members.  It is our goal to feature a guest writer for our blog.  For the month of July, our first guest writer is a special one: Stephanie Deutsch is a writer and critic living in Washington, D.C.  She grew...
Jul 8th
4 tags
Rosenwald Schools Matter!
By Stephanie Deutsch “A community gathers outside its new Rosenwald School, Alabama, 1920.  Photo courtesy Tuskegee University Archives.” The National Trust for Historic Preservation has a motto they like to use – This Place Matters.  I think it is particularly apt when applied to Rosenwald schools, many of which have, in fact, been brought back to life with help from the Trust...
Jul 8th
June 2011
5 posts
7 tags
Inspiration in the Face of Adversity: How Dr. H....
James G. Hanes (right), Chairman of the Community Relations Project, presents Certificates of Merit from the National Urban League, 1950. The recipients are: Dan Andrews, Jr., Stella Bradshaw, and Dr. H. Rembert Malloy. By Lindsay Dinkins Society thrives on visionaries and inspirational leaders to lead us through hard times, discrimination, and what may seem like impossible situations.  We use...
Jun 24th
4 tags
A City Rich with Tobacco History
For many years, tobacco has been the powerhouse crop across the world.  It can be chewed, smoked, dipped or whatever your desire.  The popularity of cigarettes caused Richard J. Reynolds, son of a Virginia tobacco farmer and cigarette manufacture, to establish his own tobacco company in the nearest city with a railroad connection, Winston-Salem.  The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, founded 1875,...
Jun 24th
5 tags
Montgomery House Bed & Breakfast, not only a...
By Corey McCann Peggy Galloway, owner of the Montgomery House Bed and Breakfast, always dreamed she would one day live at 2012 S. Main Street in Historic Washington Park.  Galloway used to live down the street from the house, and for twenty-six years she would pass by and wonder what it might be like to live in the simple, tasteful Victorian home.   The house was built by the Montgomery...
Jun 13th
6 tags
Peachtree Community News
Sponsored by Peachtree Community Association — Wade Roper, Founder May 9 Finance Council Committee Meeting: On the April 11 committee meeting, the RUCA program presented to the Finance Committee four options concerning which of the various businesses that applied to the RUCA program would receive funding.  The Peachtree/Longview area was included in all 4 options thus...
Jun 8th
7 tags
Peachtree Community News
Sponsored by Peachtree Community Association — Wade Roper, Founder Rural Initiative Project, Inc., prepared a funding request for up to $400,000 in both grants and matching funds to the Revitalizing Urban Commercial Areas (RUCA) program.  This request does not include public improvements of the area; that will be a separate allocation. We have 13 businesses that have applied to date:...
Jun 6th
May 2011
7 posts
1 tag
Meet the Team: Angelo Franceschina
Angelo Franceschina is our fearless leader.  He was born in Italy, he moved to Canada and then ended up in Indianapolis.  It was there he would obtain an Associate’s degree in Architectural Technologies, a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Urban Planning and, finally, a Master’s in Urban Planning.  He has extensive experience with all types of community development and preservation of...
May 31st
3 tags
New Bed & Breakfast in Winston-Salem Offers...
The Montgomery Bed & Breakfast, a renovated Queen Anne Victorian in Washington Park, is now open for overnight guests just in time for the busy summer season. Proprietor Peggy Galloway has spent three years updating and outfitting the gracious home as a bed & breakfast inn. Original architectural features such as mantels, woodwork, light fixtures, and a beautiful sweeping staircase are...
May 14th
1 tag
Meet the Team: Lindsay Dinkins, Intern
My name is Lindsay Dinkins.  Currently, I study English with a concentration in Creative Writing at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and am due to graduate in December 2011.  I am a member of the English Honor Society of Sigma Tau Delta as well as a member of the selections committee to the school’s literary magazine, The Coraddi. Before transferring to UNCG, I was enrolled at Salem...
May 13th
1 tag
Meet the Team: Austin Wright
My name is Austin Wright.  I am a recent graduate of North Carolina State University’s Environmental Design in Architecture undergraduate program.  I have been working for Rural Initiative Project, Inc. for about a year as an architectural designer. I highly enjoy the design and creative processes that are involved with the many projects that we do.  With my background in design, I work with...
May 13th
1 tag
Meet the Team: Keshia Horn
My name is Keshia Horn and I am in my final semester at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  I am majoring in History and International Relations with a minor in Political Science.  In my years at Salem, I have had the pleasure of being on the Model United Nations panel that travels to New York City every spring to attend a conference.  I was also a member of the Athletic Bands at Wake...
May 12th
1 tag
Meet The Team: Judy Cardwell
Judy Cardwell is the Administrative Assistant for Mr. Angelo Franceschina of the Rural Initiative Project.  She also serves on the Board of RIPI as the recording secretary. Judy has been doing genealogy research and historical research for 20 years with a particular interest in researching old land records, grants, and deeds.  She also has an interest in old cemeteries.  Judy, along with Phyllis...
May 12th
4 tags
Contact Us
Email: Keshia@RIPINC.org Telephone 1 (336) 924-6177  Snail Mail P.O. Box 84 Bethania, NC 27010  Visit us on Facebook! For any questions or comments, please message us via our Ask and Submit links at the top of the page.
May 10th
April 2011
1 post
2 tags
Apr 11th