Nearly all of the stone structures built at Duke Farms over a century ago - well houses, spring houses, summer houses, bridges, etc. - still exist today. They were a favorite of photographers in the early years of the last century and turn up frequently in published postcards.
 |
| Postcard circa 1912 |
The well house depicted in the bottom right of the three-scene postcard above is decidedly underrepresented in the historical record. In fact, this small image is the only early professional photograph I have been able to find of the structure located in the field to the east of the Farm Barn/Orientation Center.
 |
| Postcard Detail |
It is similar in design to the Lovers' Tower located in the historic core of the James B. Duke estate shown in the top right of the three-scene postcard - just not elevated.
 |
| Privately printed postcard, 1908 (Collection of Gillette on Hillsborough) |
The only other representation of this scene that I have been able to locate is a privately printed postcard photographed in an inadvertent double exposure by a shaky-handed tourist in 1908.
 |
| March 2021 |
Today, work is almost complete in repurposing the well house as a birding platform. This summer, perhaps?
 |
| March 2021 |
No comments:
Post a Comment