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Historic Preservation Commission

Orange County · Historic Preservation Commission
Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Regular meeting Historic preservationContracts and procurementIntergovernmental agreements

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What's on this agenda

Orange County's historic preservation commission holds a public hearing on updates to the Moorefields National Register nomination, which adds new boundaries covering sites tied to enslaved workers and the Waddell cemetery, and considers whether to recommend it for listing. The agenda also includes a certificate of appropriateness for repair work at Faucette Mill and a proposal to cancel the commission's February meeting.

In discussion, the commission takes up a possible historic landmark designation for Montrose, the Governor Graham house, which sits inside Hillsborough's extraterritorial jurisdiction. Members also plan a field trip to Harvey's Chapel Cemetery and hear updates on the annual report, a possible landmark at the Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House, and the commission's book project.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The commission opened at 6:15, earlier than usual because of forecast bad weather, then opened the Moorefields hearing at its usual time, 6:30. Staff presented updated documentation, including new archaeological findings and boundary changes that add sites tied to enslaved workers and the Waddell cemetery. The executive director of the Friends of Moorefields welcomed the new research and said the house is now open to the public each Thursday afternoon. The commission voted to recommend the amended nomination for listing, then authorized its chair to sign a letter to the county commissioners and the State Historic Preservation Office. Staff said the commissioners are scheduled to act on it February 10, ahead of the state office's February 12 deadline.

The commission also heard that staff had already approved, administratively, a certificate of appropriateness for repair work at Faucette Mill: the owner plans to repair the siding, foundation and deteriorated timber framing with matching materials. Members voted to cancel the February meeting for lack of business needing a decision. In discussion, the commission considered pursuing local landmark status for Montrose, the Governor Graham house and its grounds, inside Hillsborough's extraterritorial jurisdiction, which would need an interlocal agreement with the town; members agreed to schedule a site visit, tentatively in April. The commission also set a February date for a field trip to Harvey's Chapel Cemetery, whose elders are considering donating the site to the county's Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve. The minutes do not record discussion of the Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House, a second potential landmark also listed on the agenda; they do show the commission's annual report and work plan were scheduled to go before the county commissioners at their own February 10 work session.

How the votes went

All motions passed on voice votes with no recorded counts: approving December's minutes, recommending the amended Moorefields nomination for National Register listing, closing the public hearing, and canceling the February meeting.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

1 member of the public spoke.

  1. The executive director of the Friends of Moorefields welcomed the nomination's new research and noted the house is now open to the public each Thursday afternoon.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (8)

Discussion item · 2Minutes approval · 1Public hearing · 1Resolution · 1Other · 1Procedural · 1Staff or committee report · 1
  1. 4 Approval of Minutes
    Minutes approval
    Minutes from the December 10, 2025 meeting.
  2. 5.a Public Hearing for Moorefields National Register Nomination
    Public hearing Historic preservation
    A public hearing on the National Register nomination for Moorefields, covering additional documentation and a technical correction.
  3. 5.b HPC endorsement of Moorefields nomination
    Resolution Historic preservation
    The commission voted to recommend the amended Moorefields nomination for National Register listing and authorized the chair to sign a letter conveying that recommendation to the county commissioners and the State Historic Preservation Office.
  4. 5.c Certificate of Appropriateness for Faucette Mill repair work
    Other Historic preservation
    The owner of Faucette Mill applied for a certificate of appropriateness to repair the siding, foundation and deteriorated timber framing, using materials that match the original. Staff approved it administratively as minor work, without a commission vote.
  5. 5.d Proposed cancellation of February HPC meeting
    Procedural
    Whether to cancel the commission's February meeting.
  6. 6.a Montrose as potential landmark within Hillsborough ETJ
    Discussion item Contracts and procurementHistoric preservationIntergovernmental agreements
    Montrose, the Governor Graham house with its grounds and outbuildings, is being proposed as a local historic landmark. The property sits inside Hillsborough's extraterritorial jurisdiction, so designation would need an interlocal agreement with the town. The commission agreed to schedule a site visit, tentatively in April, before deciding how to proceed.
  7. 6.b Harvey's Chapel Cemetery field trip
    Discussion item Historic preservation
    The commission set a February date for a field trip to Harvey's Chapel Cemetery. The cemetery's elders are considering donating the site to the county's Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve.
  8. 6 (updates) Annual Report, Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House, Book Project
    Staff or committee report Historic preservation
    The commission's annual report and work plan were scheduled to go before the county commissioners at their own February 10 work session. Staff also gave an update on the book project, whose design meeting had to be rescheduled. The minutes do not record discussion of the Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House, a second potential landmark also listed on the agenda.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

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