A Magical Evening at Cedar Grove

Sep 19

A Recap of the 5th Annual HEARTS Circle Members’ Gala

The 5th annual HEARTS Members’ Gala brought together HEARTS supporters for an unforgettable night of music, art, fine dining, and local history at historic Cedar Grove in Huntersville, NC. The annual member appreciation event celebrated HEARTS Circle Members, whose support fuels HEARTS' mission of bringing "New Life for Old Places."

The evening kicked off with self-guided tours of Cedar Grove, including its rarely seen historic second floor and attic, giving members exclusive access to explore the preserved architecture and artifacts at their own pace.

Thank you, Daniel Coston, for capturing the evening with your photographic talent!

In the Center Hall gallery, guests viewed the captivating featured art exhibit, *“Liberty,”* presented in partnership with **Nine Eighteen Nine Studio Gallery.** The show highlighted extraordinary works by local fine artists **Barbara Ellis, Marvin Betaudier, John R. Miles III, Camisha McDaniel, Laurie Smithwick, and Jose Vasquez.**

In the Pink Room, attendees enjoyed an artisanal charcuterie display by **Something Bleu Custom Charcuterie** alongside a lively Silent Auction and 50/50 raffle, benefiting ongoing HEARTS community programs and preservation projects.

House Concert by Charly Lowry

Gala-goers were treated to an intimate, inspiring performance by nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter **Charly Lowry**. A proud member of the Lumbee and Tuscarora tribes, Lowry enraptured the audience with her stories and powerful songs inspired by them.

Following the music, guests gathered under the stars on the Cedar Grove lawn for a gourmet Southern farm-to-table dinner prepared by Chef Ryan Forte, celebrating the rich culinary heritage and local agriculture by using fresh ingredients from local farms.

During the evening's main address, HEARTS Co-founder Randolph Lewis reflected on the deeper meaning of historical preservation and the overarching mission of HEARTS: ***“Places have power. Every place is special to those who call it home... History has value for what it teaches us, and our old places have value because they help us understand our history."***
Lewis emphasized that preserving physical structures is fundamentally about safeguarding human history and connection: “When we save the places, we save the stories. The places hold the stories, and when we remember the stories, we remember the people in the stories, and it is those people who make this place what it is."
Lewis announced major preservation milestones with our newer initiatives by HEARTS in the past year, thanks to member support. In Lincoln County, the fundraising efforts to save Lincoln County's oldest surviving Black church, built in the late 1870s by formerly enslaved Christians, have reached **$195,000 toward the first goal of $250,000** ($625,000 total project target). Additionally, the United Methodist Church has formally initiated the process to transfer ownership of the chapel to HEARTS Collaborative, paving the way to restore and repurpose the structure into a community space, wedding venue, museum, and active place of worship.

In Iredell County, HEARTS is wrapping up the first-floor cosmetic and repair work at Statesville's historic Sharpe House, built for Statesville's first mayor, Col. Silas Alexander Sharpe. Established as a HEARTS Affiliate in 2026, the venue now serves as a vibrant hub for monthly tea-themed events, tours, local storytelling, and outdoor theatre, with upcoming highlights including the **Masquerade Ball on October 31, 2026,** **and the** **160th Anniversary Tea.**

In partnership with Preserve Mecklenburg, Inc. (PMI), the Alexander Farm Tenant House was saved! This rare historic tenant farmer structure was successfully relocated to a permanent home at Blackberry Ridge Farm on Beatties Ford Road in Huntersville, NC, on August 15, 2026. Now under a permanent preservation easement, the house is undergoing full exterior restoration.

In addition to these incredible preservation wins, HEARTS Happenings have continued to bring place-based local history to life with nature and the arts at Cedar Grove as well as to new frontiers like Trails Through Time on Sherrill’s Path in Troutman, NC and Sacred Grounds '26: Beyond the Wall at the Hurt Hub in Davidson, NC in partnership with Davidson College.