WHITE OAK — A potential new door was opened for the future of Harmony Hall Plantation Village on Friday, when a contingent of Bladen County officials toured the 1760s-era home and grounds.

County Manager Greg Martin, along with Commissioners Charles Ray Peterson, Ray Britt and Cameron McGill walked and listened intently to the i9nformation being supplied by Sunday Allen, who has been with the Harmony Hall volunteer board for a number of years.

The plantation home built by Col. James Richardson more than 250 years ago, sits on 97 acres between Hwy. 53 and the Cape Fear River. It is considered the oldest home in Bladen County that still rests on its original foundation.

But the home and the outbuildings that make up Harmony Hall Plantation Village are in dire need of work.

“We’ve weathered three hurricanes since 2016,” Allen said. “And we haven’t been able to do any repairs because of a lack of funding — as well as the fact that the wording in a potential grant, which we hope to receive soon, states that no repairs can be made on the home until the covered areas are completed.”

Those areas covered by a $115,000 National Parks Service grant will include things like a new roof, windows, siding and masonry work.

Beyond the exterior work, the need for repairs on the inside are just as necessary. All work done on the home must be approved by the National Register of Historic Places, which Harmony Hall was placed on in 1972. The home and grounds are owned by Harmony Hall Plantation Village, Inc.

The inside, according to Allen, was gutted to the studs on both the first and second floor. The second floor and attic, where an original loom is stored, suffered some severe water damage in spots.

But Allen said it’s important to bring Harmony Hall back to life.

“Our history is worth telling, regardless of age, race, religious beliefs,” she said. “In fact, a number of African-Americans lived in this area and contributed to the history.

“Aunt Judy, the wife of Uncle Simon — both of them slaves who worked on this plantation — lived and died right here at Harmony Hall at the age of 110,” Allen added. “We need top celebrate and tell their stories, too.”

Outside, Allen told the commissioners that a walking path leads to the river and is 1.3 miles long.

“We have here naturally what other counties are trying to create,” Commissioner McGill said. “We don’t have 10 historic places in Bladen County like this … we have one. And it’s also able to generate revenue — but it needs to be brought back to what it once was.”

To do that, aside from the federal grant, Allen estimates it will cost between $100,000 and $200,000 to cover the inside of Harmony Hall and the buildings outside — including the Shaw-McMillan Home, which has served as a kitchen on the original site of the Harmony Hall kitchen; the Tatum Store; the Harmony Hall Chapel; and the old Collie No. 41 one-room schoolhouse.

“The problem has been our history (at getting contractors to give estimates on the work),” Allen said. “We have asked area contractors to come out, but we never hear back from them.”

Commissioner Peterson asked Allen if she could get a list off all the projects that need to be done, with estimates, and prioritize them for the county to consider.

“We need to get a group together that will help keep this going,” Peterson said. “We can’t just invest $200,000 and then walk away.”

“We also need to get our local civic groups involved,” said Commissioner Britt. “This is a worthwhile place that would easily help put Bladen County on the map — not only for visitors, but for those who live here and don’t even know this place exists yet.”

Allen said the site used to regularly get school groups, scout groups and church groups to visit in be able to “stand where they once stood or walk where they once walked.” But nothing has been able to happen for the past few years.

Allen said the plantation will host a Spring Homecoming on Saturday, May 12, and that the home will be open for tours.

W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-862-4163 or [email protected].