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The Bellamy Mansion - Wilmington, North Carolina: An Antebellum Architectural Treasure and Its People

by Catherine W. Bishir

Every Old House Tells a Story, but Few Spin a Richer, More Complex and Compelling Tale than Wilmington’s Bellamy Mansion.

There’s the story of white architects (both of them Yankees) and black artisans (most of them slaves) who left the imprint of their skills on the town they shared; the story of a proud Southern family that built, lost and regained its home in a single tumultuous half-decade; the story of a prosperous city that was divided, blockaded, occupied and transformed by war and its aftermath; the story of stalwart preservationists who fought time, weather, decay and disastrous fire to keep this important piece of their city’s heritage alive—so many stories that this one house is like a sprawling, intricately plotted, character-rich Victorian novel…except that it’s all true.

These stories and many more are retold in this book. Even more important they’re on display in the big white-columned house on Market Street, all laid out in wood and brick and marble for everyone to “read” and enjoy, to learn from and marvel at.

Dwight Young, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Non-members: $17.95

Members: $16.16

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