December 15, 2015

Dear Woodville family and friends,

Early this year, our State Historic Preservation Office denied a proposed cell tower adjoining Saint Frances , the northern border of our historic district. By law, all� cell tower applications/site studies� must be reviewed by SHPO to ensure towers don't breach criteria for historic properties via 1) 'altering a property's surrounding environment' and 2) 'introducing visual,auditory, or atmospheric elements out of character with the property'.� The tower was placed a mile away.

Liz updated our brochure, reflecting� changes made since the� 2007� printing. Our website is also updated. We replaced a few windows in the Sunday School building, and Pattie installed blinds. It is 80% populated, and � I continue to slowly� add materials� to our History Center there - still sorting through� boxes of newspaper articles, magazines, photos, and letters� (they multiply) requiring labeling/placement.�� Until it's completed, you can�view all that is currently there -�� many photos/maps/letters/artifacts from our rich 200+ year history are already placed.

Many of you� have� relevant items reflecting� Woodville� life from� the early 1800s on.�� Their storage in your�closets benefits no one,� so why not embrace the popular 'downsizing-cleanout'� trend, and safely - we have a security system - donate them?� � Our collective history deserves to be under one roof , preserved, and accessible to all, and to future generations. Surely, I'm not the only person who has salvaged items, so please let me know what you can donate. �

After 19 years of directing HW, this History Center will be my final� project. � It � will remain a dormant� nonprofit until�some angel becomes interested in directing its future.

Therefore,� this will be the final letter to Woodville supporters, and our final request for your financial support. � The Bazemore house still has maintenance needs -� insurance, minor repairs, and lawn care; we need to purchase display materials for the History Center� - binders, protectors,� labels, shelves, cases, +� costs of framing the many photographs.� Please consider, however small, a donation to provide the coming years� costs. �

I owe a huge debt to all of you who have helped promote and preserve Woodville�s significance.� Our mostly unchanged landscapes and architecturally unique structures are a rarity in North Carolina. Similar villages near waterways and rail depots� dotted NC in 1800s/1900s, but are now� vanished or� unrecognizable.� That Woodville has so much left, with ample documentation� of its rich cultural history,� led to our prestigious�National Register designation as one of only 5 in "Rural Historic Districts" in North Carolina. � I owe no less praise to Preservation North Carolina, and the State Historic Preservation Office for their 19 years� guidance in preserving Woodville's unique character, and to Virginia Crilley (Rootsweb) for hosting this site. �

A gracious thank you, and Joyous Christmas to all. � �

HISTORIC WOODVILLE
3104 Hillmer Drive Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
Phone: 919.833.4009 E-Mail [email protected]

Visit our website at Historic Woodville

* All donations/grants are tax deductible and 100% funded to our various projects � directors receive no compensation

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