Thursday, May 10, 2012

The Highlands

Over the weekend, my husband and I traveled to The Highlands, an 18th century Georgian mansion and gardens, owned by the state.  They were having a community day and had free house tours and special demos throughout the day.  We wandered through the formal gardens and then attended a tour given by one of the volunteers.  It was really interesting to hear about the history of the house, and to see the progress made on the restoration of the house.
I am somewhat familiar with old house restoration as I am involved in restoring Selma, which was home of Revolutionary War General, Andrew Porter.  Like The Highlands, Selma is of the same age, but unlike The Highlands, Selma is nowhere near in the state of preservation as The Highlands are.  The building is totally useful and sustainable.  I suppose as it is owned by the state, there are more resources available.  That is until recently when all its funding has been cut.
I think it is important that people realize our history.  Houses like The Highlands and Selma give us a unique glimpse into our past and allow us a way to understand where we came from.  It was a great experience to be able to tour the grounds and be sent back in time wondering what life must have been like.

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