Partners Event

2022: Preservation Warrenton is celebrating its 25th year anniversary and Partners’ Event at the William Ransom Johnson House, circa 1800 on Saturday September 10, 2022. The program will highlight the contributions of Warrenton resident Kate Arrington to the NC Museum of Art from 1925 to 1955 and feature Lyle Humphrey, Associate Curator of European Art at the NC Museum of Art.

2019: Preservation Warrenton Annual Partners' Event was held Saturday, September 14, 2019 at historic Shady Oaks, home of Matt and Megan Shepardson in Warrenton, featuring guest speaker Elliot Engel. Read more about the event at The Warren Record.

2018: Preservation Warrenton Annual Partners' Event was held Saturday, September 8, 2018 at Lake O' the Woods Plantation in the Inez community. Read more about the event at The Warren Record.

2017: More than 200 people gathered Saturday at Lake O’ The Woods in the Inez community for Preservation Warrenton’s annual Partners in Preservation event as the organization celebrated its 20th anniversary. The event drew people from Warren County and points far beyond for an evening of reflection of the past two decades, a scholarship presentation and a visit from WRAL-TV’s Tar Heel Traveler, Scott Mason. Click to read full article...

2015: Nearly 200 people attended the 2015 Annual Preservation Warrenton Partners' Event on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the Bobbitt-Pendleton-Arrington House. The historic property is on the corner of West Ridgeway and North Main streets in Warrenton. Homeowners, Craig and Donna Hahn, welcomed guests to the evening reception. Preservation Warrenton President, Noel Robertson, thanked everyone in attendance for their continuing support of the foundation. He highlighted the expenditures made during the year benefiting local beautification and restoration projects. The Heritage Quilters updated the Hendrick House with their funding. Special recognition was made to the following individuals for their purchase and preservation of Warren County historic properties: the Hahns; the Green-Parker-Tarwater House, Ben and Meredith Hunter; Grove Hill, Brian Kohen; Elgin Plantation, Dennis and Vesna Hockman; Shady Oaks, Matt and Megan Shepardson; the James Cheek House, Lant and Brenda Elrod; Pegram Farm, William and Nancy Hogg; the Dameron-Bunch House, Joan Arbuthnot; and Shady Hill Farm, David and Vivian Beech. Robertson referred to them as "brave souls" and said he was happy they saw the need for preservation. "Thank you for your contribution to our theme: Preserving the Past for the Future," he said. Special acknowledgement was made to guests Howdy and Jan Tomlinson, founding directors of Preservation Warrenton. Jules Banzet was congratulated on receiving a 2015 Gertrude Carraway Award of Merit from Preservation North Carolina. He authentically restored the Peter Davis Tavern in downtown Warrenton. Robertson introduced Lily Richardson and her family. Richardson is the first recipient of Preservation Warrenton's Academic Merit Scholarship. She graduated with honors from Warren County High School in the spring and attends the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. The application included an essay and an interview. "The $1,000 scholarship will enable me to pursue my career objectives, and I thank the organization," she said. Director and Event Co-Chairwoman Brooke Holt introduced Dr. Elliot Engel, who presented "Margaret Mitchell and 'Gone With the Wind.'" His talk was humorous and informative about both the author and the novel. As a scholar, performer, storyteller, and professor, Engel has been invited to lecture on all continents, including Antarctica. Mary Brodie Raiford, director and event co-chairwoman, said that she was indebted to Warren County government and Vance-Granville Community College for allowing visitors to use their parking lots for the evening. Preservation Warrenton will sponsor a Quilt Show and Homes Tour the weekend of April 15-16, 2016. "Several of the historic properties recognized by President Robertson will be on the tour. Our organization is excited to showcase these lovely homes with beautiful handmade quilts," Raiford said.

2014: Holt House, the lovely Cape Cod Home in Warrenton of Frank and Brooke Holt, was the setting for the 2014 Partners’ Event held at five o’clock in the afternoon. Highlighting the evening was the featured speaker, Dr. Dr. Elliott Engel, who entertained the “Partners” with his fascinating talk, “ The Mystery of Robert E. Lee”. Professor Engel is a well-known scholar, performer, and storyteller who has taught at N.C. State, UNC, and Duke University.

2013: Lake O’ The Woods Plantation in Inez was the site for “An Evening of History and Music-Blue Grass Music in North Carolina” presented by Ed Dodson and The Wood and Steel Band. The musical group is of the prestigious Swannanoa Gathering at Warren Wilson College. The historic property (Ca. 1852) at 1452 Davis Bugg Road is the home of David and Trish Peters.

2012: A Partners' Event Reception honoring the 2012 "Partners in Preservation" was held at The Arrington-Alston House in Warrenton, home of Ted and Margaret Echols, on Saturday, September 15, 2012. at five o'clock in the afternoon. The highlight of the evening was the special guest speaker, Dr. Michael Olmert, author and professor in the English Department of The University of Maryland.

2011: Shady Grove Plantation, the 1830's home of Noel and Donna Robertson in the Inez community, was the lovely setting for a reception honoring the 2011 "Partners in Preservation" on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at five o'clock in the afternoon. Highlights of the evening included special music performed by the Vance-Granville Community College Ensemble and a slideshow presentation of "Architectural Styles in Warren County" presented by Noel Robertson.

2010: On Saturday, September 11, 2010, the Board of Directors of Preservation Warrenton hosted a reception honoring the 2010 "Partners in Preservation". The event was held at Whitsome, the Coleman-White-Jones-Hunter House in Warrenton, Circa 1820's, at five o'clock in the afternoon. Willie Nelms, "Road Scholar", was the special guest speaker. His entertaining program was "America's Music Down to its Roots".

2009: Peter Hatch, Director of Gardens and Grounds at Monticello, was the special guest speaker at the 2009 "Partners' Event" that was held at Anchorage in the Inez community. Also, in 2009, Preservation Warrenton joined with The Cherry Hill Historical Foundation in celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Cherry Hill Plantation House by co-hosting an Afternoon Tea with the Stone Soup Singers performing "150 Years in Song".

2008: In 2008, the "Partners Event" was again held at Lake O' The Woods. Partners were treated to a musical program: "An Enchanted evening." Talented performers from Lakeland Theatre presented "The History of Broadway Through Song."

2007: • In 2007, in order to mark the 10th anniversary of PW, "Partners in Preservation" was established in order to receive more support from the community. A most successful "Partners' Event" was held at Lake O' The Woods with guest speaker Ken Farmer of the Antiques Road Show. The "Partners" program will be continued each year with letters going out in May and a "Partners' Event" to be scheduled.