Historic Halifax

09/02/2025

Just a reminder that this Saturday is our “Labors of Halifax” Event. This free event will be from 10 AM to 4PM. Please see the flyer for more information.

09/01/2025

On this day in Halifax history, Elizabeth Montfort Ashe passes away—September 1, 1812.
Elizabeth Montfort was born on February 26, 1762, youngest daughter of merchant, politician, and Masonic “Grand Master of America” Joseph Montfort and Priscila Hill. She was raised in their large home on King Street with sister Mary and brother Henry.
Elizabeth married John Baptista Ashe on October 7, 1779. They built a house called “White Hall” near her sister’s house “The Grove,” at the south end of Halifax along Quankey Creek (in the vicinity of the present-day Halifax County Courthouse). Together, John and Elizabeth had one son, Samuel Porter Ashe.
In 1781, her bravery was tested when the British Army marched into Halifax. After they pushed the Halifax militia across the Roanoke River, the British occupied the town for several days. General Cornwallis and his officers, including Lieutenant Col. Banistre Tarleton and Loyalist (and former Halifax resident) John Hamilton, occupied the fine homes of the Montfort sisters—and as “ladies” they were expected to feed and entertain them as guests! According to local tradition, Tarleton made fun of a friend of Mary Jones’s—William Washington. Tarleton had recently met him in battle in South Carolina. Tarleton said that he did not think Washington was literate. The sisters pointed out that he had left his mark on Tarleton’s arm during the battle. Tarleton became so enraged that he stood and reached for his sword. Another officer stopped him from striking the sisters, who, stood together, staring him down without flinching! For her courage and patriotism, the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution named their chapter after Elizabeth.
John was elected Governor in 1802 but died of an illness before he could take office. Elizabeth died ten years later, at the age of 50.

08/30/2025

We wanted to remind everyone that we are only one week away from our "Labors of Halifax" event! This free event is from 10AM tor 4PM next Saturday, Sept. 6.

08/29/2025

This week in NC History: The First Provincial Congress meets in New Bern against the wishes of Royal Governor Josiah Martin: August 25, 1774. In June of 1774, the British Parliament passed the “Intolerable Acts” to punish Boston for the Boston Tea Party and to “coerce” the other colonies to get into line. (In Great Britain, the Intolerable Acts were called “The Coercive Acts”.) In July, William Hooper and John Harvey, Speaker of the Lower House of the Colonial Assembly, led a meeting of members of the “Committees of Correspondence” from the Cape Fear Region to discuss how to answer the Intolerable Acts as well as to elect representatives to the first Continental Congress in Philadelphia. It was decided to enact a separate governmental body from the Royal Assembly. 30 Colonies swiftly elected 71 representatives to the Provincial Congress, which convened in New Bern in the Craven County Courthouse. Halifax was represented by Willie Jones, Nicholas Long, and John Geddy. This first Provincial Congress lasted only three days but was still eventful. Three delegates from North Carolina were chosen to go to Philadelphia: Richard Caswell, Joseph Hewes, and William Hooper. They also released a long list of resolves that included basic rights and the responsibilities of government. They pledged to support the Continental Congress in the future, putting North Carolina straight onto the road of Independence just two years later. Pictured here: Richard Caswell.
Sources: https://www.dncr.nc.gov/.../north-carolinas-milestone...
https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/primary-source-first
https://www.ncpedia.org/provincial-congresses

08/28/2025

We are booking Field Trips like crazy for the new school year! If you would like to get your class, homeschool group, or organization in on all the field trip fun, contact Kristal Chapman, Group Tour Coordinator, at (252)583-7191 or [email protected].

08/27/2025

: Okay, who doesn’t love puppies? These sweet babies are very special—they are red wolf pups! Red Wolves are a rare species native to North Carolina. They were almost extinct but breeding in zoos and wildlife reserves have started to show positive results. In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service just issued a report that they have counted 18 pups born in Eastern NC’s Alligator River and Pocosin National Wildlife Refuges this year. You can read the entire article here:

We all like a little positive news, don’t we? Well, I have some great news regarding the Red Wolf Recovery Program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)

08/26/2025

A profile on our own, Kristal Chapman!

Meet Kristal Chapman, Historic Interpreter II at Historic Halifax.

From nonprofit director to corporate trainer to colonial housekeeper, Kristal has worn many hats, but her favorite is the one that lets her share the untold stories of Halifax. A proud Appalachian with deep roots in West Virginia, Kristal brings history to life with warmth, humor, and a passion for uncovering voices often left out of the narrative.

Whether she is portraying a tavern-keeper’s wife, cooking over a hearth, or answering the classic “aren’t you hot in that gown?” Kristal makes history personal and unforgettable.

Read more about Kristal in our latest Profiles in Public History blog, then plan your visit to Historic Halifax to see storytelling in action.

https://www.america250.nc.gov/blog/2025/07/15/profiles-public-history-kristal-chapman

08/26/2025

Labors of Halifax is coming soon!

08/25/2025

Today is the first day of school for thousands of Roanoke Valley children. Welcome back! Teachers- ready to make the 2025-26 school year unforgettable? We are here to support you with the Learning Happens Here Field Trip Fund, which will reimburse costs to visit any of the 100+ sites/programs managed by the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, including Historic Halifax State Historic Site.
The fund reimburses:
Transportation costs (including charter buses when needed)
Admission or special activity fees
Substitute reimbursement when necessary for the trip
Meals for students with financial need
Acceptance rate for fund requests is 98%! Learn more and apply at dncr.nc.gov/learning-happens-here-field-trip-fund

08/24/2025

Seasons change! School is starting, and our elder ladies, the mulberry trees, have their first yellow leaves. Fall is quickly approaching!

08/23/2025

We are two weeks away from our “Labors of Halifax” Event. This free event will be on Saturday, September 6, from 10AM-4PM. Come see us demonstrating historic trades that helped build the Roanoke Valley. Our neighbors, The Bradford-Denton House will also be open and demonstrating hearth cooking and other trade skills. Call (252)583-7191 for more information.

08/22/2025

This we are appreciating the little things and the overlooked things. Today we are appreciating this Portulaca growing near the Tap Room.
There are three species of portulaca or purslane native to North Carolina including pink purslane (Portulaca pilosa), Small’s purslane (Portulaca smallii), and common purslane (Portulaca oleracea). This species pictured here seems to be none of those, however, rather is most resembles the Paraguayan purslane (Portulaca amilis).
Portulaca amilis is native to South America but was introduced to the Sotheastern United States at some point and has become a successful invasive species, outcompeting some of the native species. We don’t know exactly how this species of portulaca made its way here, but many species of portulaca have been introduced as groundcovers and decorative flowers, including the moss rose(Portulaca grandiflora).
It is also important to stay safe whenever it comes to consuming plants and plant identification. Many species of Portulaca are non-toxic and edible, however they do have high oxalate content, which can be dangerous for your kidneys, and all species of portulaca are dangerous to animals like dogs, cats, and horses.
Stay safe out there and have some fun with plant identification. If you come across a Portulaca in the wild, see if you can identify which species it is based on the leaf shape, flower petals, or seed pods. Until next time!