History – Page 33 – Dan Routh Photography

Southeast Old Threshers’ Reunion

Photographs from the annual Southeast Old Threshers’ Reunion held in Denton, North Carolina. Horses, steam, tractors, implements. If it’s old and it’s farming, it’s here. For info, go to http://www.farmpark.com/.

Gettysburg Wall

History, Pennsylvania

My wife Dedra and I stopped in Gettysburg on the return trip from visiting our son in New Hampshire. Both of us are interested in history and the Civil War in particular. We did a quick tour of the battlefield and stopped at one of the most poignant spots there. The image above was shot at the wall on Cemetery Ridge. On July 3, 1863 a large Confederate force under Robert E. Lee attacked the center of the Union line in what is now called Pickett’s Charge. The Southerners walked across almost a mile of open land directly into a hail of Northern fire. Somewhere near this spot the color bearer and a sergeant from the 26th North Carolina found themselves alone and directly in front of the 12th New Jersey manning the wall. Rather than fire upon the Southerners, a New Jersey soldier reached out with his arm, called “Come over to this side of the Lord.”, and helped the two enemies over the wall.

Pisgah Covered Bridge

History

Pisgah covered bridge in Randolph County, North Carolina. One of two original covered bridges still left in the state.

Red Caboose

History, Railroad

Still-life photograph of an old railroad caboose from a local train museum in North Carolina.

Cedar Falls Post Office

History

I’ve photographed the old post office at Cedar Falls, North Carolina many times over the years. Local folks have worked on restoring the building that was once the office for the Cedar Falls Manufacturing Company since the last time I shot it.

Daisies bloom in front of the building on a Saturday morning.

House in the Horseshoe

History

Still life from the Alston House near Sanford, North Carolina. Also known as the House in the Horseshoe, because it sits in a horseshoe bend of Deep River, the house was the scene of a Revolutionary War skirmish between patriots under Col. Phillip Alston and Tory troops under David Fanning in July 1781. The house still has bullet holes on the front porch from the battle.

Millboro, along the old Railroad Spur

Architecture, History

I’m continuing my posting today with more architectural shots. Millboro is a community near my home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina that grew up on a spur line of the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad as a supply point for local textile mills. The railroad also provided access for rich Northerners to bring their private railroad cars for bird hunting in the 1920s at the Halliday Hunting Lodge. The shot above is of a wooden water tank used at the hunting lodge and the image below is of the old Millboro Store.

As I wander around Randolph County, I use a copy of a book, “Architectural History of Randolph County, N.C.” written by attorney and friend Mac Whatley. It is an extensive guide of the interesting and important buildings in the county. Unfortunately, Mac wrote the book in 1985 and as I search for many of the structures, I learn that more and more of them no longer exist. It’s amazing how fast these great pieces of architecture can disappear. I haven’t counted, but as many as half or more of the structures in the book are gone. In addition, the railroad line that once ran through Millboro is itself gone, having been torn up and removed several years ago.

Buffalo Ford

History

If you stand on the bridge over Deep River on Hinshaw Town Rd in southeastern Randolph County, North Carolina, and look north, you see a tranquil yet nondescript scene. Nothing special is there to let you know that this is probably the most historically rich spot in Randolph County. Within just a mile or so from this spot are the Hinshaw farm and Evergreen Academy I posted about in an earlier blog post, as well as Cox’s Mill, the last intact water powered grist mill in the county. Closer still are two eighteenth century mill sites, an eighteenth century sawmill site, and at least 3 bridge sites. Buffalo Ford was a major crossing point of the Deep River on the route from Hillsboro to South Carolina, and in 1780, several thousand American Continental troops were camped here for several weeks when General Horatio Gates took command at this spot and then marched his army south to the ill-fated Battle of Camden. In 1781, Tory leader David Fanning’s base camp was located here from which he raided patriot forces in the neighboring areas. That’s a lot of history in a very compact area. That’s the up side. Ask most folks in Randolph County if they have any idea that Buffalo Ford exists, and most won’t know what I’m talking about. That’s the downside. Pity.

(Postscript: The name Buffalo Ford comes from the fact that in the 18th century, there were native bison still alive in the area.)

Cox’s Mill

History, Mill

A mile or so from the Hinshaw Barn near Buffalo Ford on the Deep River in Randolph County, North Carolina is Cox’s Mill, the last intact water powered grist mill in the county and one of the last in the state. Built around 1900 on Mill Creek by a Beane, it was run by several different millers during it’s history. It sits adjacent to an 18th century mill site also called Cox’s mill. Raymond and Flossie Cox ran the mill from 1938 till around 1983, grinding flour and cornmeal and then feed, using water for power till 1953 and then converting to diesel and electricity. The mill is closed now, but all of the equipment is still on site and intact including the wheel.

I stopped by the mill on a snowy day to take a couple of photographs and spoke to Miss Flossie as she is called. She talked about the history of the mill she and her husband worked for over 40 years (and she worked the equipment beside her husband Raymond) and she told me of some of the other folks who were connected to it. I found out her mother was my great aunt’s sister; small world. Then she told me that John Routh also once ran the mill. I was floored. John was my great grandfather and I live in his house. I knew he was a miller all his life, but never knew his connection with this mill.

I don’t know how long Cox’s Mill will remain. Though intact, the roof is failing and the creek is slowly eating away at it’s foundation. Unless someone restores it, and that’s not likely, it will soon disappear and along with it the last chapter of a part of Randolph County history.

Flossie and Raymond Cox (Photo courtesy of Flossie Cox)

Amos Hinshaw House

History

Across the road from the Amos Hinshaw barn is of course the Amos Hinshaw house, a lovely late 19th century Victorian farmhouse. Behind it is a one room 18th century house structure. The farmhouse and the barn are both built of heart pine cut and sawn on the Hinshaw property.