The Nathan Brown house, an example of an 1850s farm house, will have it’s first open house Sunday from 4-6 p.m.
The house, called a “story and a jump” because of the half-story above the ground floor, was built in the mid-1800s by Solomon Brown and his son, Nathan, grandson and great-grandson of Michael Brown of the Old Stone House.
Nathan was a farmer, an educator, served as first postmaster for the eastern Rowan area and served in the Civil War. This house was the meeting place of the community, and two churches, Christiana Lutheran Church and St. Lukes Reformed Church, were formed in this house under the name of Union Sunday School.
The house was moved to its present location when the Old Stone Vineyard and Winery wanted to extend its facilities. Interested parties formed a corporation, Nathan Brown House Inc., and gained non-profit status to begin restoration of the old house. The house was moved back to the original Nathan Brown property in 2004 and fundraising began for the restoration.
Today, original walls may be seen, the “ghost” of where the stairs to the loft were once located is visible and the chimney and hearth restoration may be viewed. The house will eventually house the Nathan Brown House Museum to show life as it was in the mid-1800s.
The public is invited to see the restoration progress.