Somerset Grainary, Lake Phelps, NC, 1800 - Vintage Photo

This vintage photograph captures an abandoned structure located in Lake Phelps, Tyrrell County, North Carolina. The building, known as Somerset, dates back to around 1800 and also served as a grainary. This architectural relic reflects the historical significance of plantation life in the region.

Frances Benjamin Johnston, the photographer, was renowned for her documentation of Southern architecture, and this image is part of the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South. The survey aimed to record the diverse architectural heritage of the South, emphasizing the unique structures that shaped its cultural landscape.

This photograph not only represents a specific time and place in North Carolina but also offers insights into the architectural practices of the early 19th century. It was published in Thomas Tileston Watermans 1941 work, The Early Architecture of North Carolina, further cementing its importance in the study of Southern architecture.