McConnell Home

McConnell Home. . This house was constructed by Reuben McConnell in the 1820s. It was moved to this site from its original location about eight miles west of here. It typifies the houses of established families in this region during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The squared logs were hand-hewn and notched on the ends, then covered with clapboard siding. The whitewashing and finished interior walls distinguish it from earlier frontier homes such as the Backwoods Cabin., The McConnell Home is a one-and-a-half story house with the main living and working areas downstairs. The upstairs provided additional space for storage and sleeping., The residents of houses such as these were mostly self-reliant people. They grew corn, wheat and vegetables, and raised pigs, cows and sheep to sustain the family's primary needs. Farming was the economic backbone of early communities in the Carolina Piedmont where crops and livestock could be sold or traded. Settlements arose as neighboring farms shared resources and exchanged goods or services.