Helping HEARTS
Community Service Day at the Hugh Torance House and Store
Scout Troops 148 and 248 helped make an incredible difference at the Hugh Torance House and Store at last week’s Community Service Day. A delicious BBQ lunch was sponsored by City BBQ in Huntersville.
A big thank you to the Scouts and Leadership from Troops 148 and 248 for the very successful Community Service Day at the Hugh Torance House and Store. The woods surrounding the historic site are overrun with invasive autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and privets (Ligustrums) that compete with native species such as the spicebush and pawpaws. Thanks to the Scouts, their efforts improved site visibility from Gilead Road and between the historic houses too.
Thanks also to community sponsor City BBQ who graciously provided a delicious BBQ lunch to the Scouts. It was a very successful day working together in nature and improving the grounds to prepare for Spring. The site clearing was also the first step in two new projects….
Hugh Torance’s Outside Kitchen Foundation and New Kitchen Garden
Thanks to the recent clearing on Community Service Day, the stone and brick remnants from the original kitchen have been located, matching the vicinity of an earlier archeological report. Additional clearing and sensitive site work are the next steps. In addition, a kitchen garden is also being planned adjacent to the kitchen foundation. We have much to do in the months ahead, and we look forward to sharing these new features with our guests in the future.
A Historic Boxwood Garden for the 21st Century
Thanks also to Randolph Lewis and Aaron Kampe who skillfully removed briars and poison ivy from the historic boxwoods at Cedar Grove. Plans for a new Boxwood garden featuring pollinator perennials and seating for a meditative memorial honoring all those who lived at Cedar Grove. Kampe, a biologist, estimates the boxwoods’ age may align with Cedar Grove due to the slow growth characteristic of English Boxwood. We’re digging into the research of these boxwoods and other historical gardens too. We look forward to creating a new online Boxwood collection featuring the boxwoods at many of the historic sites throughout the area.
Love to garden?
HEARTS Gardens & Grounds Wants You!
HEARTS is assembling the new HEARTS Gardens & Grounds team of volunteers to assist with the gardening projects at the site. If you're interested in helping, please email abigail@heartscircle.org.
This Saturday
HEARTS Irish Connections ‘25: Jane’s Famous Ride
We hope you can join us this coming Saturday for “HEARTS Irish Connections: Jane's Famous Ride for a vibrant mix of local revolutionary history, nature, and art. All ages are welcome, and best of all, it’s free! Bring your friends and family for a memorable day of exploration at historic Cedar Grove. Donations are welcome to support our ongoing community activities. It all takes place on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Cedar Grove, 8229 Gilead Road in Huntersville. Due to limited seating, tickets are required.
HISTORY
This year’s HEARTS Irish Connection: Jane’s Famous Ride honors Jane Parks McDowell, a Scots-Irish descendant of Steele Creek of Mecklenburg County. The story of Mrs. McDowell’s famous ride has largely faded from memory, but we look forward to bringing her revolutionary contributions back to light through a narrative of courage. Join us for a presentation by noted historian Dr. Hugh Dussek, who will recount her tale alongside other significant events from Mecklenburg County’s revolutionary history.
NATURE
March in the garden highlights moss, nature’s ideal ground cover. Discover more about these intriguing plants and how to incorporate them into your garden.
ALL THE ARTS
The Connick School of Irish Dance returns to Irish Connections '25! Be sure to catch these award-winning dancers before they head off to the world championships in Dublin this April!
The musical guests for the afternoon are Tom Eure and Amelia Osborne, a Carolina folk duo offering up a heartfelt fusion of Celtic, Appalachian, and spiritual influences. They’ll also be sharing a Crankie. Don’t miss this special treat!
The visual art exhibit “Unspoken Poetry” is on display in the Center Hall of Cedar Grove. In partnership with Nine Eighteen Nine Gallery, HEARTS presents the works of John R. Miles, III and Sloane Siobhan.
Brevard’s Chapel, a New HEARTS Project
Recently HEARTS joined forces with other preservation groups and the United Methodist Church to help create a preservation plan to avoid demolition for this beloved Denver, NC church. Here’s all the latest information including a link to the recent coverage by WSOC’s Dave Faherty.
