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Mark Pace, local historian and director of the NC Room at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
In the second installment of an ongoing Town Talk series focusing on the history of Henderson, Vance County and the immediate four-county vicinity, Pace and WIZS’ own Bill Harris discussed the origins and first families of Williamsboro, NC.
Established in the 1750s, the town was first known as “Lick,” then “Nutbush” and finally “Williamsboro.” One of its most well-known historical buildings is St. John’s Episcopal Church that remains today as the oldest standing wooden church building in North Carolina.
To give listeners an idea of the historical significance of Williamsboro, Pace explained that the State of NC conducted an architectural and historical survey of Vance County in 1977. Of the 97 structures identified as “significant” in Vance County, 25 were located in Williamsboro. Pace said, unfortunately, only 10-11 of those structures remain today.
“Many of these structures were significant plantation houses; they were structures that dated back to the 1700s,” said Pace. “They were also significant because of the important people that lived there and their association with state history.”
To hear the interview in its entirety, including discussion on Williamsboro’s consideration as the state capitol, additional historical properties and ghost stories, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.