Winners protect Stanly's history

by JO ANN EFIRD

The Albemarle-Stanly County Historic Preservation Commission has announced the third annual Preservation Awards.

The George Miller House in Richfield, owned by Mr. And Mrs. James Tuzenew, is the winner of the Residential Preservation Award.

The Albemarle Opera House, owned by Gene Starnes and Catherine Pickler, is the winner of the Commercial Structure Award.

And the final winner in the preservation awards is Dorothy Plyler, who is honored for her contributions to preservation in Stanly County.

The Miller home is Stanly County’s finest intact example of a late Victorian dwelling with Gothic revival details, according to Donna Dodenhoff, who is compiling a Stanly County sites inventory for the commission.

The framed home’s exterior detail is enhanced by the exceptionally well-executed Victorian millwork adorning its windows and porch.

Mr. and Mrs. Tuzenew and their two children moved into the home in 1976 as renters refinishing many “finds” and preserving and restoring the original architecture of the historic structure.

The house had been altered from its original appearance, and the exterior has been restored to its late Victorian decor with all the fine decorative work, Ms. Dodenhoff said. The interior was left completely intact and renovated. Although modernized to accommodate the present family’s needs, the house has been restored to retain its past integrity.

Local tradition holds that Miller, a skilled carpenter, built the two-story, side gabled house for his bride in 1905 with the help of Richfield neighbors.

The Albemarle Opera House was built in the downtown commercial district in 1907 at a time when the county seat had been transformed from a small village of wooden structures in the 1890s to an early 20th century urban center of predominantly brick structures.

The well-executed facade provides the county’s most exuberant and opulent example of the Romanesque Revival style that was synonymous with substantial commercial and civic buildings in the county during the early 20th century.

The present owners have painstakingly restored the original facade. The marble surrounding the bottom floor of the building has been replaced and the covering popular in the 60. has been removed to reveal the circular windows in the second floor.

The 800-seat Opera House was the focal point of the county’s cultural life. Since very few early 20th century opera houses’ remain in North Carolina the Opera House has significance as both a local and state historical property.

A committee is now studying the feasibility of restoring the facility as a cultural center for the downtown area.

“With her deep appreciation of history and her ties to Stanly County, it was only natural that Dotty Plyler become involved in the county’s preservation efforts,” said Lynda Addison, director of the HPC Museum at the Snuggs House. Mrs. Plyler worked for the commission for 10 years and since her retirement in 1988 has been a tireless volunteer. Now working on The Stanly County Architectural Inventory as a volunteer, Mrs. Plyler has lent her knowledge of Stanly County and its citizens to help in the inventory of buildings.

The awards will be presented tonight during the “Business After Hours” reception at the Agri-Civic Center.

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