(SANFORD)—Relive Christmas festivities in the Sandhills back in colonial days at House in the Horseshoe State Historic Site near Sanford Saturday, Dec. 8. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the site will present a holiday open house featuring traditional 18th century music; cooking, weapons, woodworking and crafts demonstrations; a book signing; musket and cannon firings and even samples of deer meat for all comers. This program is free and open to the public.
Perched on a hill above the Deep River, the House in the Horseshoe was erected around 1772, becoming one of the first big homes in the upland North Carolina frontier. It will be decorated for the season so visitors may enjoy strolling through the so-called “Alston House”, which still bears numerous marks and bullet holes from a 1781 Revolutionary War encounter between the Tories and colonials.
Particular highlights of the site’s holiday celebration include the appearance of writer Suzanne Adair, who will be signing copies of her newest book “The Blacksmith’s Daughter.” Ken Bloom will coax 18th century tunes out of his fiddle and a hammered dulcimer, both instruments that were popular in the heyday of House in the Horseshoe.
Forty period costumed reenactors will demonstrate crafts ranging from leather working, to pewter casting and even blacksmithing, all essential skills in the House in the Horseshoe community in the late 1700s. Musket and cannons will sound throughout the day. Visitors may also want to sample some old fashioned Christmas treats. Besides the deer meet, these will include hot cider, cookies, hoop cheese and crackers.
The mission of House in the Horseshoe is to preserve and interpret the history of the battle at House in the Horseshoe, the Revolutionary War in the North Carolina backcountry and the life of Gov. Benjamin Williams, who once lived here.
During the American Revolution, groups of citizen-soldiers known as Whigs or Revolutionists fought a guerilla war in North Carolina’s backcountry (frontier) against colonists loyal to Britain. At the time, the House in the Horseshoe was Whig Col. Philip Alston’s home. Suddenly, the morning of Aug. 5, 1781, Alston and his band of revolutionaries camped there found themselves under assault. Their attackers were a larger group of Tories led by the notorious loyalist David Fanning. To get the colonials to surrender, the Tories attempted to set the house on fire. After several casualties on both sides, Alston gave up.
Though Philip Alston distinguished himself as a lieutenant colonel in the state militia, his later career was marked by corruption. In 1790, Alston sold his house and plantation and left the state. In 1798, Gov. Benjamin Williams bought the 2,500 acre plantation. Besides serving four terms as North Carolina’s governor, Williams had been a colonel under George Washington, was on the first University of North Carolina board of trustees and served in the national Congress at Philadelphia.
The House in the Horseshoe is located near Carthage. From N.C. 24/27 in Carthage, turn north onto State Road 1006. Follow this road for ten miles to Alston House Road. Turn left, and the site is at the end of the road. From U.S. 1 in Sanford, take N.C. 42 west for 13 miles to Carbonton. Turn left on State Road 2307, go 4-1/2 miles and turn right onto Alston House Road. From U.S. 421, take the Goldston exit at the brown House in the Horseshoe sign. Go west on the Goldston-Pittsboro Road to Main Street. Go left on Main St., then right on Colonial St. Go 3/10 of a mile and turn left on the Goldston-Carbonton Rd. and go five miles to the stop sign. Go straight at the stop sign for 4-1/2 miles. Turn right on Alston House Road, which ends at the site.
For further information on the holiday program, call (910) 947-2051 e-mail horseshoe@ncmail.net or click here. Administered by the Division of State Historic Sites, Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site is part of the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, a state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history, and culture through such programs as “History Happens Here”. For more information, visit www.ncculture.com.