'After' looks at properties saved by Historic Salisbury Foundation

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 25, 2012

These are the ‘after’ pictures of houses for which Historic Salisbury Foundation played a significant role in saving in years past. The ‘before’ photographs of how the homes once looked when the foundation stepped in appeared on this page last week. The house on the top is the Mowery House at 229 S. Long St., which dates back to circa 1850. The foundation bought the house from Claude and Pauline Lyerly when it was in danger of being torn down in 1981 during the widening of Long Street to five lanes. The house was moved back 30 feet to avoid demolition. The original paint colors were yellow with green trim, black sashes and a blue porch ceiling. The home on the bottom is the Huff House at 409 E. Bank St., and it dates to circa 1895. This house also was saved in 1981 by Von Poston, who entered into an agreement with the foundation to make repairs to the home, which he eventually sold in 1987. Both houses have protective covenants placed on them by the foundation. In this last before-after monthly contest, readers were asked to give the name, location and original colors. Barb Sorel, a volunteer with the foundation, said several people responded, but no one answered them all correctly. Richard Bowen was able to identify both houses, and he also is the person with the most correct answers in the monthly contests over the course of the year, which is the foundation’s 40th anniversary. Sorel says Bowen will be contacted by the foundation to make arrangements for him to receive the overall prize, “The Architecture of Rowan County” by Davyd Foard Hood.