EVM Foundation

10/14/2025

When Hurricane Isabel hit Edenton over 20 years ago the congregation of Kadesh was shocked to see the damage to the church that had been their spiritual home for over a century. In these videos Sadie Riddick tells us how devastating it was to see Kadesh Church after the Hurricane had passed. Today Kadesh is being restored. The people of Edenton came together with the congregation and formed the Kadesh Restoration Committee. With the help of the Edenton Historical Commission, the Fund for Scared Places, the AME Zion Church, the State Preservation Office and donors across NC the congregation is returning Kadesh Church to how it looked when it was constructed by Hannibal Badham in 1897. This is truly a preservation miracle. Thank you to Sadie Riddick and all the members of the Drew family and the congregation who have worked so hard to ensure that Kadesh was not lost. Let’s celebrate this victory!

10/13/2025

There is an incredibly interesting handrail system at Hayes. When we began the restoration the railings were loose and were not stable. After some investigation we figured out that about every seventh railing was made out of iron not wood. A hidden system had been created in 1817 that allows the railings to be tightened in only a few minutes using a screwdriver. With a few turns of imbedded hidden screws the staircase was a good as new. Hayes is filled with surprises.

10/12/2025

10/10/2025

The preservation movement in Edenton begin in 1918. These photographs clearly show that the Edenton of the past is alive and thriving today. While most small communities razed landmarks Edenton quietly saved and restored them. The Edenton of today looks like the Edenton of the past. New uses of places like the Edenton Cotton Mill prove that in Edenton “Preservation is Good for Business”. The Elizabeth Vann Moore Foundation is dedicated to making Edenton. We are grateful for the help offered by Preservation NC, the Fund for Sacred Places and the Jenrette Foundation.

10/09/2025

Why is Edenton so beautiful? It is a picture perfect location on Edenton Bay with an architectural array of incredibly important historic buildings. Historic preservation began in Edenton and now over 100 years later the town is thriving.

10/08/2025

Last night as the clock struck 7 o’clock the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse became alive with the most beautiful music as the Albemarle Chorale sang patriotic music. Linwood Winslow who directs the Chorale provides the highest quality music to the entire Albemarle area. The Chorale is a treasure and proof that in small rural places music is important and brings joy to people.

10/07/2025

It was a glorious day on Saturday at the Cupola House. Remember the “Preservation Movement” in NC began here in 1918. This “house museum” has defied all odds and today provides relevant programming, a sold-out speaker series and on Saturday a “Colonial Market”. The Cupola House Board continues to look for new and innovative ways to connect with both the people of Edenton and visitors. The “Colonial Market” on Saturday did just that by providing a place for budding entrepreneurs to sell their crafts and for bringing people into the Cupola House and the gardens. The power of the past was on full display on Saturday as the Cupola House was proving yet again that “House Museums are Important, interesting and fun”! The installation of the original woodwork which spent the last 106 years at the Brooklyn Museum will begin soon adding yet another first to the Cupola House pedigree. To those that say the day of the “House Museum” is over we say look no further than Edenton’s Cupola House.

10/06/2025

Nothing says small town more than a good parade. The Edenton community turned out in record numbers to see the Peanut Parade which celebrates Edenton’s connection to farming. It was a wonderful event and proof that things like community fun can still be enjoyed in thriving small places with vibrant downtowns.

10/03/2025

The kitchen wing at Hayes is revealing many secrets. Once the modern heating elements were removed the massive cooking chimney complete with complicated ovens and warming areas was revealed. The EVM Foundation also found a living area on the second floor of the kitchen that had been long sealed-off and frozen in time. The stairs to this area had been removed during a remodeling campaign many years ago. The library wing provided a clue as to how the original “kitchen ladder”may have been constructed. A search of the property has revealed what may be the original “kitchen-ladder” hiding in plain sight in a small 18th century farm structure. The “stair-ladder” in this building has been reused is nearly identical to the one in the library wing.

10/02/2025

Last night was an amazing night onboard the Albemarle Queen celebrating the Edenton Historical Commission and its supporters. Robert Leath the Executive Director of the Edenton Historical Commission told the crowd, gathered on the boat at sunset, that “Preservation in Edenton is good for business”. After Robert spoke Gray Dixon quickly thanked Robert for all he is doing in Edenton. Preservation continues to thrive in Edenton under Roberts’s leadership as he manages the restoration of Hayes and Kadesh Church and the return of the original woodwork to the Cupola House.