Blandwood Mansion and Gardens facts for kids
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Blandwood
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A. J. Davis designed Tuscan Villa
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| Location | 447 W. Washington St., Greensboro, NC |
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| Built | 1795, additions 1822 and 1844 |
| Architect | Alexander Jackson Davis |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 70000455 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1970 |
| Designated NHL | June 7, 1988 |
Blandwood Mansion is a special historic house in Greensboro, North Carolina. It started as a small, four-room farmhouse way back in 1795. Later, it became the home of John Motley Morehead, who was the governor of North Carolina for two terms (1841-1844).
Under Governor Morehead's care, the house was changed into the beautiful building you see today. It's thought to be the oldest example of the Italian Villa style of architecture in the United States. Because of its importance, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1988. The famous architect Alexander Jackson Davis designed its new look. He created a popular style for American homes with a tall tower sticking out from the front. In 1964, people in Greensboro saved the house from being torn down. It opened as a museum in 1976 and is still open for visitors today.
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History of Blandwood Mansion
How Blandwood Started
Blandwood was first built in 1795 as a two-story, four-room farmhouse. It was probably named after its first owner, Charles Bland. He and his wife farmed the land until 1800. Over the years, the property changed hands a few times. In 1822, Henry Humphries bought it. He was an important businessman who started the first steam-powered cotton mill in North Carolina.
Governor Morehead lived in the house from 1827 until he passed away in 1866. As a political leader, he welcomed many important people to his home. These guests included social activist Dorothea Dix and architect Alexander Jackson Davis. During the American Civil War, the house was used by Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard. After the war, Union Generals Jacob Dolson Cox and John Schofield used it as their temporary base. North Carolina Governor Zebulon Baird Vance even surrendered to the Union generals in Blandwood's main room on May 2, 1865.
Changes to the House
Blandwood had two major additions. The first one in 1822 made the farmhouse bigger, adding two more rooms. It kept the same Federal architecture style as the original house. The second, much larger addition was designed in 1844 by New York City architect Alexander Jackson Davis. This part more than doubled the size of the house. It was built in a "Tuscan Villa" style. This makes Blandwood the oldest standing example of the Tuscan Villa style (a type of Italianate architecture) in the United States.
The new stone part of the house was built by William and Joseph Conrad. They were building contractors from nearby Lexington, North Carolina. The gardens around Blandwood were also very special. A famous landscape architect named Andrew Jackson Downing even used a picture of Blandwood in his books to show how gardens should look.
After Governor Morehead died, his youngest son Eugene lived in the house until 1874. Then, Eugene's sister Emma and her husband Julius Gray moved in with their six children. Julius Gray was a successful businessman and helped start the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. The last members of the Morehead family left Blandwood in 1900.
In 1907, Colonel and Mrs. William H. Osborne bought Blandwood. They used it as a special treatment center. Some of the original buildings were removed, and new ones were added. This center closed in 1961. Around this time, people started to realize how important old buildings were, especially those designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. Efforts to save Blandwood began, and a group called Preservation Greensboro Incorporated was formed in 1966 to help.
Why Blandwood is Important
Experts in architecture say Blandwood is a very important building in Greensboro. It shows the "spirit of improvement" in North Carolina before the Civil War.
Blandwood is the oldest building in Greensboro that is still on its original foundation (from 1795). Even though the city grew up around it, the house survived. Its biggest national importance is that it's the earliest known Tuscan Villa style building in the United States, built in 1844. Architect Alexander Jackson Davis designed it to look like villas in Tuscany, Italy. He used wide overhanging roofs, low rooflines, casement windows, and brick covered in stucco. The most noticeable part is the tall tower that stands out on the front. Davis also cleverly used the existing kitchen building by making it bigger and adding a similar building on the other side. This created connecting walkways with arches. Blandwood is also a rare example of a grand house from before the Civil War in the western Piedmont area. This region usually had smaller farms.
Preservation Greensboro Incorporated bought the building from Guilford College in 1966. They wanted to turn it into a museum. The group started working to restore the house. They studied the old paint, looked for historical items underground, planned how to furnish it, rebuilt missing parts, and restored the gardens. Many items that originally belonged to the house were given back by members of the Morehead family in the 1960s and 1970s. Blandwood was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. It was recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1988.
Blandwood Today
Preservation Greensboro Incorporated owns Blandwood and its surrounding land, which is about 4 acres (1.6 hectares). The property includes an eight-sided Carriage House. This building was restored in 1970 and is now used for special events. The beautiful gardens are also a highlight.
Blandwood is open for tours. It also hosts many different events throughout the year. These include musical performances, weddings, historical events, parties, picnics, and school activities.
See also
- List of National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Guilford County, North Carolina
Images for kids
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An old drawing of Blandwood, showing its design.
