Coolmore Plantation facts for kids
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Coolmore Plantation
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Coolmore in 1940
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | North Carolina Highway 43 (ALT United States Highway 64), west of Tarboro, North Carolina |
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| Area | 24.4 acres (9.9 ha) |
| Built | 1859 |
| Architect | E.G. Lind |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000581 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 18, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | June 2, 1978 |
Coolmore Plantation, also known as Coolmore or the Powell House, is a very old and special home located near Tarboro, North Carolina. It was built a long time ago, between 1858 and 1861. This house is famous because it's one of the best examples of a building style called "Italianate" in North Carolina.
An architect named E. G. Lind from Baltimore designed the house and its other buildings. He created them for Dr. Joseph J.W. and Martha Powell, who were the first owners. Coolmore is so important that it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1978 because of its amazing architecture. It's also part of a program called "Save America's Treasures," which helps protect important places across the United States.
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Coolmore Plantation: A Historic Home
Coolmore is located west of Tarboro, just off a road called ALT United States Route 64. The main house is a two-story building made of wood. It has smaller, one-story sections on each side. The roof is shaped like a hip, meaning it slopes down on all four sides.
What Makes Coolmore Special?
The house has special features that make it stand out. It has wide eaves, which are the parts of the roof that hang over the walls. These eaves are supported by fancy, carved brackets. The windows on the first floor are tall and narrow, often in pairs. They have curved tops and decorative hoods above them. The windows on the second floor are round at the top, also in pairs.
Inside, Coolmore is just as amazing. The rooms are decorated in unique ways and have interesting shapes. Right in the middle of the house, there's a special oval-shaped staircase that seems to float without touching the walls. One of the living rooms downstairs has a really cool painting on the ceiling. It's a type of art called trompe-l'œil, which means "trick the eye." It makes flat paintings look like they are three-dimensional or real objects.
Other Buildings at Coolmore
Around the main house, there are other buildings that match its style. These include the old servants' quarters, a smokehouse, and a carriage house. All these smaller buildings also have cupolas, which are small dome-shaped structures on their roofs, just like the main house.
Protecting This Special Place
In the early 1990s, the Coolmore property was given to an organization called Preservation North Carolina. It's not easy to open Coolmore to everyone all the time. This is because some parts, like the oval staircase, the special trompe-l'œil art, and the detailed plasterwork, are very old and delicate.
So, Preservation North Carolina has found a different way to care for it. They have leased the property to people who live there, called "resident curators." These curators are actually direct descendants of the original family who built the house! They open the house for visits by appointment and help take care of the daily needs of the property.
Preservation North Carolina is also working on a special plan to conserve the property. They are especially focused on protecting the amazing artwork inside the main house. To help with the long-term care of Coolmore, a special fund has been started at the North Carolina Community Foundation. This fund will help make sure Coolmore stays beautiful and protected for many years to come.
Coolmore was first listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Later, in 1978, it was recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
