Recognized for the protection and restoration of the Picot-Armistead-Pettiford House.

The Plymouth Small Town Main Street Committee realized they had a treasure, and a vital piece of local history in the Picot-Armistead-Pettiford House, but weren't sure how to fix the many issues with this truly interesting place.  It is with great pleasure that we award the Plymouth Small Town Main Street Committee the Stedman Incentive Grant.  A little bit about the house: it has an interesting history:  built in 1814 by Dr. Julian Picot, a Frenchman thought to be Plymouth's first medical doctor, the house has had several owners and is rumored to have been used by the Underground Railroad - although uncertainties have arisen about that because the Civil War Era owners (the Armisteads) had slaves. And when scarcely a dozen buildings were left undamaged in Plymouth when the Civil War ended in 1865, somehow this house was still standing unharmed.

Another point of note in the House's history occurs in 1914, when Jane Brinkley, a white Plymouth resident, sold the house to Reuben Pettiford, a black brick mason - an unusual transaction for that time in the American South. 

During the Pettiford's ownership, the house served as a boarding house and hotel for African-Americans.  When the house is renovated, it will house a museum depicting African-American life in the South from the post-Civil War through the pre-civil rights era.  An effort will also be made to determine whether the house played a role in the Underground Railroad. 

The Stedman Incentive Grant will be used to make roof repairs that are needed immediately.  Leaks have caused decay to framing members, plaster, interior finishes and flooring. The leaks have also spawned termite activity in places, and the weakened framing system places the roof at risk of further damage from high winds. 

The Grant will cover at least 90% of the estimated costs to repair the roof, and we can't wait to see this historic gem restored.