The Blount-Bridgers House was built by Thomas Blount around 1808 as the center of an enormous plantation in Tarboro. The Tarboro Arts Council acquired the property in the late 1970s for use as an art gallery and museum.

With the house beautifully restored, members of the Arts Council were ready to install appropriate period landscaping. However, no records could be found to describe the gardens that once surrounded Congressman Blount’s home. The Blount-Bridgers House Garden Committee was formed and began the work of uncovering information about the original landscaping.

In the early 1990s, thanks to a bequest, the committee was able to hire landscape architect Chip Callaway to offer professional assistance. Meanwhile, a grant from the state was used to employ Loretta Lautzenheiser of Tarboro and her firm, Coastal Carolina Research, to conduct a thorough archaeological survey of the property. The survey found evidence of a plantation office, garden house, kitchen, cat cemetery, well, cistern and a brick-making operation. Armed with a “ghost plan” of these additional structures, the committee proceeded to map out the garden.

Initial plantings were tended by two local garden clubs and then came the Weekly Weeders, volunteers organized by garden committee chairwoman Candis Owens to tend to the garden each Wednesday. Throughout the years, many groups and individuals became involved in the project: from Tarboro public works crews to high school students, residents of the Tarboro Community Outreach Shelter, and many others.
Even local plants, trees and bulbs have supported the project, as specimens from other historic sites were brought in to enhance the garden, including irises and day lilies from nearby Coolmore Plantation, a Preservation NC stewardship property.

Today, the Blount-Bridgers Garden covers an entire block with features that include a fenced perennial garden with walks and benches, a kitchen garden, and two shade gardens. The sunny beds on the outer perimeter have been planted with native evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and bulbs.

Preservation North Carolina is pleased to present the 2009 Duffy Award to Blount-Bridgers Garden in recognition of the devotion, hard work and attention to historical detail demonstrated by many in the community — especially the Blount-Bridgers Garden Committee.