"The community of Springfield, long ago absorbed into the city of High Point, was a statewide center of Quakerism in the years after the Civil War. The community featured a well-regarded school, and an active ministry that was led by humanitarian Allen Jay. However, it’s most ambitious Reconstruction Era initiatives were made through the establishment of a 'demonstration farm.' This farm, like today’s Agricultural Extension Service, taught North Carolina’s farmers practical methods to increase their yield through fertilization and improved animal husbandry. In addition to agricultural practices, the 'Model Farm' instigated a new form of housing to the Carolina Piedmont that quickly became a template for rural construction into the next century...

The Model Farm is celebrated in North Carolina history for the infusion of agricultural technology it provided in a state devastated by the Civil War, though the equally influential facet of the farm – its architectural legacy – has long been forgotten. Both elements of change represent a turning point in North Carolina’s history as society changed in reaction to conflict, science, and housing standards."

Read full story . . .

Greensboro's Treasured Places (8/20/2010)

Learn more about the Model Farm, available for restoration through Preservation NC . . .