By Ms Jheri Worldwide
Staff Writer
A Ramble Through Moore County
A recent curated ramble through Moore County with Preservation North Carolina offered a unique glimpse into the interwoven histories that shaped the world-renowned village of Pinehurst. The ramble or tour, offered guest a list of ten historic properties hosting open houses for the day. I pre-selected my stops and began traveling throughout Moore County, North Carolina. My experienced revealed stories of ingenuity, perseverance, and the complex social fabric that defines this iconic North Carolina destination area. Preservation North Carolina continues to honor its mission of helping to protect and promote historic places that matter to the diverse people of North Carolina!
Jackson Hamlet: A Legacy of Resilience and Community
Just a stone’s throw from the manicured greens of Pinehurst, the community of Jackson Hamlet stands as a
powerful testament to the resilience and self-sufficiency of the African American families who were the bedrock of the resort town’s infrastructure. A recent walking tour, led by lifelong residents and descendants of the original founders, Monica Barnes and Sibyl Russ, peeled back the layers of this vital enclave’s rich history.
The story of Jackson Hamlet is one of deep roots and community fortitude. Our guides shared that their great-great-grandmother, once enslaved, purchased the very land we stood upon as we toured their family home constructed in 1945. A seamstress by trade, Preservation North Carolina President Benjamin Briggs noted that pieces of the ancestors’ clothing, discovered in a back closet, are now preserved at the North Carolina Museum of History—a tangible link to the past.
This spirit of self-determination is etched into the very buildings of the community. In the 1940s, the men of the hamlet came together to build the Love Grove Freewill Baptist Church, a cornerstone of faith and fellowship that continues to serve the community today with its distinctive molded decorative blocks. Nearby, the faint echoes of jazz and blues linger around the site of the former Ambassador Club. From the 1930s to the 1960s, this legendary spot was a daytime juke joint and a sizzling nightclub that hosted music royalty like James Brown, Ray Charles, and Cab Calloway.
The community also holds a significant piece of civil rights history. A house within Jackson Hamlet was listed in the 1959 edition of The Negro Motorist Green Book, a vital guide for African American travelers seeking safe passage and welcoming establishments during the era of segregation.
The community’s existence has not been without challenges. In recent years, residents successfully fought against a road-widening project that threatened to encroach upon their historic land, a victory that underscores their continued vigilance in preserving their heritage.
Among the day’s storytellers was Mr. Oneal Russ, a native of Wilmington and a longtime Jackson Hamlet resident. A 1958 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, Mr. Russ was immediately commissioned into the U.S. Army upon graduation, serving in Germany for ten years before returning to NC to raise his family of 13 children in 1968. He shared vivid memories of his time at A&T, his military service, and the stark differences in society then and now. Mr. Russ’s journey from Wilmington to Germany and finally to Jackson Hamlet adds another profound layer to the community’s living history.
The stories of Jackson Hamlet are not just relics of the past; they are the living, breathing soul of a community that built itself, sustained itself, and continues to fight for its preservation against the tide of development.
Pinehurst: The Gilded Age Playground
Before it was a global golfing mecca, Pinehurst was the exclusive winter playground for America’s northeastern elite. The village, with its winding roads and charming architecture, was conceived not as a golf resort, but as a health retreat by soda fountain magnate James Walker Tufts.
“Pinehurst is nothing but a New England village,” our guide explained. It was designed by none other than Frederick Law Olmsted, the visionary landscape architect behind New York City’s Central Park. The sprawling, seemingly random layout that can disorient visitors today was intentional, designed to create a sense of rambling escape.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, wealthy families from New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts flocked south to escape the harsh winters. They built sprawling “cottages” and established a vibrant social scene. “Pinehurst was a party town,” we were told. The original Pinehurst Casino was the hub of social life, and for many years, the village intentionally had no funeral home to maintain its image as a haven of health and vitality.
When Tufts’ initial vision for a health resort faced financial hurdles, the wealthy winter residents began buying and developing the land themselves, transforming it into the sporting paradise it is known as today. The idea that Pinehurst was always a prim and proper golf town is a modern misconception. Long before the age of Airbnb, this village was a place of boisterous house parties, social intrigue, and a constant influx of visitors, creating a dynamic and lively atmosphere that laid the foundation for the destination we know today.
Thistle Dhu: A New Chapter for a Historic Home
On a quiet, shaded lot in Pinehurst sits Thistle Dhu, a home with a whimsical name and a monumental claim to fame: it is the birthplace of miniature golf in America. The name originated with its owner, James Barber, who, upon completing his new putting course, declared, “This’ll do.”
Today, Thistle Dhu is entering a new and inspiring era. The historic property is now under the ownership of a group of dedicated Black women creatives and historians, a significant shift in the narrative of a town historically staffed by African Americans but owned by a white elite. The new stewardship aims to preserve the home’s rich history while transforming it into a creative sanctuary. With a wealth of archival material still being discovered on the property—from old letters to historical documents—the owners are curating an environment that honors the past while cultivating future stories. As they explore partnerships, this new chapter for Thistle Dhu is not just about preserving a house; it’s about building a legacy and ensuring that new, diverse voices have a place to create history in the heart of North Carolina’s jewel Pinehurst.
Correction 6/24/25:
The recent walking tour of Jackson Hamlet was led by lifelong residents and descendants of some of the original residents, Monica Woodley and Sibyl Russ. Their family home, constructed in 1944, stands on land purchased by their great-great-grand aunt, who was formerly enslaved. It was their great-great-aunt, a seamstress by trade, whose clothing was on display in 2024 at the North Carolina Museum of History. Additionally, the history of Love Grove Free Will Baptist Church began in 1905 when Reverend Fred D. Armstrong had the idea to build a church in Jackson Hamlet. Originally named Elizabeth Chapel, the church was first built of wood on Armstrong property. In the 1920s and 1930s, the men of the hamlet came together to rebuild the church with its distinctive molded decorative concrete blocks on its present site, at which time its name was changed to Love Grove Free Will Baptist Church.
