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Historic Preservation Commission

Orange County · Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Regular meeting Historic preservationSchools and educationCivil rights and nondiscriminationEnvironment and sustainabilityGrants and outside funding

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 4Approval of Minutes Motion carried

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

The Orange County Historic Preservation Commission tests a revised landmark evaluation form on Morris Grove School, an early 20th-century Black school building on Eubanks Road named for the formerly enslaved farmer Morris Hogan. Members also review draft text for two America's 250th interpretive markers, at the Dickson House and the former Hogg House site, and hear about an NCSU ASHES Lab DNA-sampling event planned for Burwell School.

Updates on the agenda cover flood damage from Tropical Storm Chantal at Occaneechi Village and Faucett Mill, a proposed historical marker for lynching victim Cyrus Guy near White Cross AME Church, and the release of federal historic preservation funding to the states. The commission also considers cancelling its August 27 meeting.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

Members used a revised landmark evaluation form to test Morris Grove School, a surviving early 20th-century Black school on Eubanks Road linked to Morris Hogan, a formerly enslaved farmer. The Orange County Board of Education sold the property in 1952 to Kelly Cradle and his wife Mazie Irene, who converted it into a residence; it passed to their daughter Maysie Hogan Cradle and her husband Ervin Cradle, and now belongs to their son Jessie. Staff will visit the site and bring back photos and more research before any recommendation on landmark status.

Members reviewed draft text for two America's 250th markers, funded by the state's NC250 program, at the Dickson House and the former Hogg House site, and agreed both need review for grammar and accuracy. Staff previewed an NCSU ASHES Lab DNA-sampling open house planned for Burwell School and reported flood damage from Tropical Storm Chantal at Occaneechi Village and Faucett Mill, with repair workdays planned this fall. The Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition is planning a marker near White Cross AME Church honoring lynching victim Cyrus Guy, and federal historic preservation funds have been released to the states. Members agreed to cancel the August 27 meeting and approved the May 28 minutes.

How the votes went

The board's only recorded vote approved the May 28 minutes; the meeting cancellation was by member agreement rather than a counted vote.

From the published minutes.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Discussion item · 3Staff or committee report · 3Minutes approval · 1Procedural · 1
  1. 4 Approval of Minutes
    Minutes approval
    The board approved the minutes of its May 28, 2025 meeting.
    Motion carried
  2. 6.a Landmark evaluation form: Morris Grove School
    Discussion item Historic preservationSchools and education
    This is a landmark-evaluation discussion, not a designation vote: members tested a revised evaluation form on Morris Grove School, an early 20th-century Black school on Eubanks Road linked to formerly enslaved farmer Morris Hogan, now owned by Jessie Cradle. Staff will visit the site and return with more research before any recommendation.
  3. 6.b America's 250th: proposed text for interpretive markers
    Discussion item Historic preservation
    Members reviewed draft text, sponsored by the Alliance with NC250 program funding, for two interpretive markers: one at the Dickson House on Hillsborough during the Revolution, one near the former Hogg House site on the founding of the NC Society of the Cincinnati. Both need further review for accuracy and grammar.
  4. 6.c NCSU ASHES Lab event at Burwell School
    Discussion item Historic preservationSchools and education
    Staff previewed an NCSU ASHES Lab open house this Saturday at Burwell School to collect DNA samples from burial soil, and discussed handling and data security for any human DNA recovered. Staff will attend and report back.
  5. 6.f August 27 HPC meeting cancellation
    Procedural
    Staff proposed cancelling the August 27 meeting for scheduling conflicts.
  6. 7.a Tropical Storm Chantal damage: Occaneechi Village and Faucett Mill
    Staff or committee report Environment and sustainabilityHistoric preservation
    Tropical Storm Chantal caused significant damage to Occaneechi Village's palisade and huts and put about three feet of water into Faucett Mill. Volunteer repair workdays are planned this fall.
  7. 7.c Proposed marker for lynching victim Cyrus Guy
    Staff or committee report Civil rights and nondiscriminationHistoric preservation
    The Orange County Community Remembrance Coalition is planning a historical marker near White Cross AME Church on Lebanon Road honoring Cyrus Guy, who was lynched near Efland.
  8. 7.e Status of Federal Historic Preservation Funding
    Staff or committee report Grants and outside fundingHistoric preservation
    Federal historic preservation funds have been released to the states.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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