Welcome to Historic Moorefields
Moorefields Wild Bird Walk
Saturday May 6 at 7:30 AM
Join us Saturday morning, May 6th, at 7:30 a.m. for our annual Wild Bird Walk. Led by Tom Driscoll, birding expert and long-time member of the New Hope Audubon Society, we will explore the Moorefields grounds and learn about the birds who share this place with us in spring.
No registration required. The hike is free but a $5 donation is suggested. Click here to make a donation.
LAST SUNDAYS
You’re invited to Moorefields on the Last Sunday of each month beginning May 28 through August 27 from 1:00 to 4:00 to stroll the grounds and gardens, and take a free tour of the historic house. Visit the Moore family cemetery, as well as the graves of the cats of former owner Edward Draper-Savage, and if you are so inclined, take a walk through the adjoining Seven Mile Creek Nature Preserve. Friends of Moorefields Board Members will be on hand to talk about the history of Moorefields and update you on special projects like our Archaeology project and our conservation partnership with the Eno River Association, Orange County, and the North Carolina Land and Water Fund.
Our Mission
The mission of the Friends of Moorefields is to build upon, enhance, and share with the public the rich traditions of the Moorefields historic site by preserving and maintaining the 1785 house and grounds and the history of the people who lived and worked here, celebrating the arts, and protecting the wildlife habitats and natural areas that are part of this place.
Our Vision
Moorefields enjoys a rich tradition of honoring and protecting its history, of creating and celebrating the arts, and of protecting the wildlife habitats and natural areas that are part of this place. The mission of the Friends of Moorefields it to build upon, enhance, and share these rich traditions through:
-
maintaining and preserving the 1785 Moorefields historic home and grounds listed on the National Register;
-
acting as a valuable resource for research and education by exploring and sharing with the public the lives and cultural history of all those who lived and worked at Moorefields;
-
fostering appreciation of the arts by engaging diverse audiences in arts events, programs, and educational opportunities;
-
safeguarding the site’s streams and waterways and protecting its natural habitats; and
-
connecting people with nature and history through public engagement activities such as educational hikes, volunteer stewardship and scientific conservation programs, and participation in NC Mountains-to-Sea Trail.
About Moorefields
Moorefields is more than a 1785 house on the National Register of Historic Places, where a sliver of our past is preserved and enhanced. The 70-acre property is more than formal gardens and a place to grow hay, support honeybees, and nurture the wild. And, Moorefields is more than a venue for sharing glimpses of our heritage and enjoying the companionship of good music.
Moorefields is all of those things and more, a rich community resource. But no matter what we do, we continue to rely on the generous support of folks like you.
Over the past months the governing Friends of Moorefields has secured several grants that are helping to improve our outreach, preservation efforts, and understanding of the site.
A grant from the Ochiltree Foundation has allowed us to finish repairing and painting the exterior of the house. A grant from the Covington Foundation has enabled us to rebuild the front porch, a performance space for our annual bluegrass festivals as well as a gracious space for enjoying the sweep of fields and forest.
Grants from the North Carolina Land and Water Fund, Orange County, and the Eno River Association will protect the integrity of the Moorefields property in perpetuity through the use of farm and natural area conservation easements even as we link to the Mountains to Sea Trail traversing Orange County. Moorefields is also the beneficiary of a grant from the federal and state governments facilitating on-the-ground archaeological research into the lives of enslaved people and others who lived here over the centuries.
We hope you will take advantage in the coming year of all our community events, including a session to share what is revealed by our archaeological explorations. As those investigations go forward, we’ll also continue to keep visitors informed via our Last Sunday open houses during the warm months.
Join us, too, for our spring wildflower and birding hikes. Come September, enjoy the eighth almost-annual (covid adjusted) bluegrass festival on the front lawn of the house, where local bands, food trucks, and smiles abound.
Furthering the archaeological, artistic, environmental and historic preservation goals of the Friends of Moorefields is ultimately reliant on support from our friends like you. Grants can fund special projects but don’t cover ongoing operational expenses or all the other needs and possibilities that arise. For instance, fixing the porch has highlighted the need to repair rotting sections of the front stairs constantly exposed to extremes of weather and sun, and this initial archaeological work is just the first step in exploring the personal histories associated with this place.
Please lend a hand by sending a tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of Moorefields 2201 Moorefields Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278, or make a secure donation online by clicking HERE. Your support in maintaining and extending our efforts will aid in enriching appreciation and endurance of our community’s shared heritage.
Thank you!
Friends of Moorefields Board of Directors
Mike Hammersley, President
Barry Jacobs, Executive Director
Todd Dickinson, Pam Hemminger,
Robin Jacobs, Deborah Piscitelli,
Elizabeth Matheson, Rich Shaw, David Swanson, Terri Swanson, Cathleen Turner
Thanks to everyone who came out on a beautiful afternoon in October to make the BLuegrass Fesival a success and listen to some great music!
The Carolina Cutups, GrassStreet , Pickard Mountain, Vintage Blue, Bluegrass Experience
And A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors!
Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
CRA Associates, Inc. • Sports Endeavors • Jaime and Jim Parker • EastWest Partners • PHE, Inc.
Lea Enterprises • Bailey’s Bees • Vaguely Reminiscent • Duke Energy • Tom Struckmeyer, Edward Jones • Orange County Sportsplex • Wegmans • Jersey Mike’s Sub
Moorefields was built in 1785 as a summer home by Alfred Moore, a Revolutionary military leader, founder of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and prominent jurist who ultimately served as the second and last North Carolinian on the United States Supreme Court. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 by Edward Draper-Savage, an artist and UNC French professor. The 70 acres of woodlands and permanent pasture at Moorefields are currently maintained as a wildlife refuge. Owned and managed by the Friends of Moorefields, a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation, the property is open for scheduled use by groups and individuals. Please explore our Web site to learn more. Get involved by contributing to and becoming a member of the Friends of Moorefields, click “Donate Button“.
We depend upon our partnership with community members like you, who remained so generous even as we hit pause on most activities. Please support our efforts by sending a tax-deductible contribution to the Friends of Moorefields at 2201 Moorefields Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278, ormake a secure donation by clicking here.