In the Summer of 2020, Abigail Jennings and Randolph Lewis were introduced to Cedar Grove, the 1831 National Register Greek Revival plantation home of James Torrance. The sixth-generation descendant of Hugh Torance, Torrance Banks, was seeking solutions for the next chapter of the majestic historic landmark. Abigail and Randolph were fascinated to learn the deep history of the site, including the neighboring Hugh Torance House and Store known as the oldest standing store in North Carolina, and the natural history of the surrounding areas of preserved land.

This introduction sparked the collective determination of Banks, Liv Wu, Jennings, and Lewis to rehabilitate the historic home and connect the Cedar Grove with the community by:

• Sharing the site’s rich History including prehistoric artifacts, Native American lands, Revolutionary connections, and important 18th, 19th, and 20th-century stories.

• Highlighting Ecology and nature, plant and animal history, and natural resources.

• Incorporating music, poetry, dance, and visual Arts to bring diverse audiences together.

• Recognizing the many generations descended from those once enslaved on the site through the formation of the Reunion Project.

• Connecting the site to the local greenway Trail network, including the Carolina Thread Trail and Lake Norman’s Emerald Necklace.

• Creating a sustainable financial future for the nonprofit Hugh Torance House and Store. Inc. (HTHS), adjacent to Cedar Grove.

In the Fall of 2021, HTHS adopted the HEARTS mission and opened their doors to host newly designed place-based living history programming. HTHS quickly achieved its goal to reach a larger audience, connect more deeply to the community, and realize sustainable operations. In February 2022, the first “HEARTS Happening” was launched at Cedar Grove, honoring enslaved North Carolina poet George Moses Horton and his connection to the Torance family by featuring poetry readings, live music performed by local musicians, and an introduction to native plants found on the property.

Since then, growth has been exponential for HEARTS with new audiences coming together at every event and with repeat visitors who keep coming back to support and enjoy more educational entertainment.

Recognizing the obstacles for nonprofits to achieve sustainability as 100% volunteer-lead organizations while also continuing to grow and reach new audiences prompted taking the HEARTS mission to the next level by creating the HEARTS Collaborative, Inc., a new 501c3 nonprofit organization. Designed to unite historic preservation organizations and historic sites in order to preserve and share our region’s history, HEARTS encourages community engagement and facilitates sustainable operations by utilizing its’ unique approach of custom designs for place-based programming to reach more people, connect more deeply, and share each local sites’ history more broadly.