made the front page of the local paper

[Tom M King]

Picture of the front page is down, on the right of this page:

http://www.lakegastongazette-observer.com/news/article_7e0808ba-a8aa-11e9-a520-638b7d798c35.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

[Clark Hussey]

That’s great we need volunteers everywhere

[Frederick Skelly]

Wow, that's a big project Tom. I sure hope they raise the money before it's roo late. Has anyone from the charity approached the national Methodist Church organization? It seems like they might help a little.

Fred

[Tom M King]

The average age of the Foundation Board is somewhere up in the 80's. Some don't even use the internet. They expect people to write checks, and mail them. They have a website, but it's very simple, and only recently, after me pushing for years, have a Paypal button for donations. All the Methodist organizations know about that Foundation.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.oldbrunswick.org/

[Frederick Skelly]

The average age of the Foundation Board is somewhere up in the 80's. Some don't even use the internet. They expect people to write checks, and mail them. They have a website, but it's very simple, and only recently, after me pushing for years, have a Paypal button for donations. All the Methodist organizations know about that Foundation.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.oldbrunswick.org/

Sounds like the first order of business is for them to get some younger blood to push fundraising. But that's probably not as easy as it sounds, huh? That's a shame.

But I enjoyed the article and would enjoy hearing more about your restoration work on this and other projects. I find it fascinating. Bet it's very fullfilling as a career.

Take care.
Fred

[Bill Carey]

The average age of the Foundation Board is somewhere up in the 80's. Some don't even use the internet. They expect people to write checks, and mail them. They have a website, but it's very simple, and only recently, after me pushing for years, have a Paypal button for donations. All the Methodist organizations know about that Foundation.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.oldbrunswick.org/

Sounds like the perfect application of a go fund me campaign.

[Bill Carey]

Ya know, if everyone would just chip in 6 bucks.....................

Nah, that'll never work. :D

[Tom M King]

Sounds like the first order of business is for them to get some younger blood to push fundraising. But that's probably not as easy as it sounds, huh? That's a shame.

But I enjoyed the article and would enjoy hearing more about your restoration work on this and other projects. I find it fascinating. Bet it's very fullfilling as a career.

Take care.


Fred

There are lots of pictures on my website of work I've done there. The basement waterproofing page is all that house, as is a lot on my Structural page. The road that went by the Dromgoole house was moved a long time ago, and it was forgotten about. People lived in it up into the 1960's, so it had a roof kept on it. Being out of sight, and mind of the public, it has never suffered the fate of most other such old houses-getting parts stolen. It also has never been remodeled.

Francis Asbury spent more time there than anywhere else. Since that was really the only thing close to a fixed base at the time, the other Circuit Riders sent their letters there. There is a large collection of old letters in the Southern Literary Collection at UNC.

George Coke Dromgoole also lived there. He was the most famous person in Southern Virginia in the first half of the 19th Century. The place has a Lot of history.

[Pat Barry]

Thanks for pointing out where the collapsing chimney is! Nice work though Tom to recognize the problem then to volunteer and stabilize it. I am sure the newspaper exposure will help.

[Tom M King]

I decided to try a different tack on getting people to come tour the house, and hear its story. Before, we had asked that people contact me first, and I would take them. This time, I tried to make it simpler, and just say tours are Saturday mornings at 10, in that article. With that done, we actually had a small group show up, even though it was 94 degrees. It's just a few miles from my house.

There seems to be some confusion about my volunteering. I do a lot of volunteer work there, like keeping the grass cut, and giving tours, but the work is the sort of thing I do for a living. The people on the tour understood, and didn't question it. The article was published without me proof reading it.

Some of the work saving that chimney might end up being volunteer work though, since they don't have anything like enough money to even buy the concrete. I hope to pour it in a day, or so, but severe rains have kept the path in beyond able to allow a concrete truck to get in.

[Mel Fulks]

Tom, do you know anything about the duel that the owner was in ? Would love to read it

[Tom M King]

Yes. We know the history in great detail. George Coke Dromgoole was a Son of the original owner of the house. The duel was fought on the land that is now our place, which was part of a plantation on the river, but the duel site is under water in the lake now. It was fought down by the river.

My Wife and I have even taken part in a re-enactment of the confrontation in a local, old tavern, we me playing one of the parts, after dinner was about over, and my Wife told the crowd the whole story. Supposedly, it was the last duel in this country where one of the participants died, even though it was a lingering death. George Coke was such a poor shot, that even when he tried to miss, his shot hit Dugger.

Google Dugger Dromgoole duel
and you will find all sorts of information. Our place is part of the Tucker Plantation, that you will probably see mentioned somewhere in there.

Francis Asbury also mentions his stops at this house a number of times in his Journals.

[Thomas Albrecht]

Looks like an interesting project Tom...and an interesting history.