EDENTON — An important part of the original 1758 Cupola House will be returning to the historic Edenton structure by the end of the year.
The Brooklyn Museum in New York and the Cupola House Association announced this week they’ve reached an agreement for 18th-century first-floor woodwork from the Cupola House to be returned to the Edenton landmark.
According to a press release, the woodwork was purchased by the Brooklyn Museum in 1918 as part of the museum’s effort at the time “to create a series of period rooms representing each geographic area of American colonial architecture.” The woodwork has been preserved and displayed at the Brooklyn Museum for more than a century.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Cupola House Association to reunite this historic woodwork with its original home,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy of the Brooklyn Museum in the release. “We are immensely proud to contribute to this meaningful restoration effort, ensuring that future generations can appreciate its cultural and historical importance in its original setting.”
Vonna O’Neill, president of the Cupola House Association, described the impending return of the original first-floor woodwork to the structure as “a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenal opportunity.”
“The Cupola House Association is grateful for the Brooklyn Museum’s generous gift and to everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring this to fruition,” she said.
O’Neill went on to thank those who saved the Cupola House in 1918 and those who she said “continue to work to support its mission and preservation.”
“Dreams can come true, thanks to you,” she said in the release.
The Cupola House’s plan is to complete the woodwork’s removal from the Brooklyn Museum and then ship it to Edenton. Then, in 2025, the association will begin a “thoughtful process for its room-by-room reinstallation,” the release states.
Robert Leath, executive director of the Edenton Historical Commission, will serve as the project manager on the restoration project.
“Considered by many to be North Carolina’s finest colonial house, this will be a rare opportunity for architectural historians to examine the interior carving and study the elements of this remarkable building, right down to the framing,” he said. “We will want to take full advantage of this moment to share any and all new discoveries with the public.”
Edenton Mayor Hackney High said town officials are “delighted to share this landmark moment” with Cupola House officials.
“This restoration coincides wonderfully with the 250th anniversary of the Edenton Tea Party, further enriching what we have to offer for both visitors and for locals celebrating our heritage,” High said. “I could not be prouder to celebrate the rich history of our community at such a vital juncture.”
According to the press release, the 200-year-old Brooklyn Museum is “among the oldest, largest, and boldest art museums” in the country. Its collections include more than 500,000 objects representing more than 5,500 years of human history.
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