Demolition Avoided for Old Carthage Home — For Now

This article first appeared in The Pilot on March 22, 2022.

A house built in 1882 for the first licensed druggist in Carthage narrowly escaped demolition Monday after the town’s Board of Commissioners granted its current owner more time to demonstrate efforts were being made to restore the house.

Described as the “most eccentric house” in the Carthage Historic District, a primarily residential area included in the National Register of Historic Places, the house is located at 202 W. Barrett St. As one of the town’s oldest homes, it is an example of Italianate style, though it combines several architectural styles, according to records from the Historic Register. The house currently belongs to Charles Watson, who inherited the property.

Brandon Emory, whose company provides code enforcement for the town, said the house violates the town’s minimum housing code. This is because of several structural concerns, especially a major issue with the house’s roof. William Tyson, a contractor who is currently working on the project, said it would likely cost $20,000 to fix the roofing issue.

Emory said the house had been in violation since 2018. Since then, various timelines have been set up — and lapsed — for the housing code violations to be fixed. Emory questioned the house’s structural integrity, noting that he was worried about the house collapsing and endangering Watson or nearby community members, as could happen in a heavy storm.

“My primary concern with the minimum housing ordinance is the health, safety (and) well-being of the community,” Emory said. He said that he was not worried about the attractiveness of the house, but rather “is it safe or is it dangerous?”

Watson said he was worried that his well-being would be jeopardized if he was evicted. He said he doesn’t get out much and has recently been in treatment for several health issues.

“I wouldn't know how to live outside that house,” Watson said. “I don't think I'll survive if you take me outside of that house. I'm not trying to make up an excuse, but I don't think I will survive.”

Tyson, who is not currently licensed in North Carolina but has 40 years of contracting experience, said he was not concerned about the house’s structural integrity or its ability to withstand extreme weather conditions. He noted that he had been working with Watson prior to the pandemic on renovating the house, but the impact of the virus had stalled the repair work.

Tyson also said he and Watson had been in communication with someone from a historic preservation organization about financial assistance for the house’s restoration. Watson said he was doubling down on his efforts to earn income in order to restore the house.

When all was said and done, the commissioners seemed to agree that they did not want to demolish the house. Mayor Jimmy Chalflinch said he would like to see the house sold to someone who had the financial means to restore it, if Watson was not able to.

“We don’t want it to get torn down,” Chalflinch said. “We want someone to buy it and restore it, because it’s a beautiful home.”

Chlaflinch remembers driving by the house as a kid in the 1960s and marveling at its beauty. “It was one of the most beautiful homes in Carthage,” he added.

The commissioners gave Watson 60 days to find a licensed contractor to give an assessment of the cost of repairs needed to bring the house up to minimum standards. They gave him another 30 days to raise the necessary funds to restore the house. In the meantime, Emory said he would go about conducting a formal inspection of the house from the town.