Seagrove
Recollections & Rememberances
Philip E. Burrow
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"Seagrove, Recollections & Memories" is a republished and retitled edition of the 1976 "Seagrove Area" compilation by Dorothy and Walter Auman.
A new preface was prepared by the editor Philip Burrow, who worked with the cooperation and assistance of Walt Auman, the son of renowned Seagrove, N.C. potters Dorothy and Walter Auman. Eighty-four vintage and historical photos from Seagrove and the surrounding area are included in addition to several maps. Many families are mentioned, making it a valuable resource for local historians and genealogists. Just a few of the interesting historical facts found inside the book are: * The Plank Road, completed in 1853, enabled a wagon traveler to journey from Salem to Fayetteville in two weeks. Although eighty-four plank roads were chartered in North Carolina during the time period, it was the longest at one-hundred and twenty-nine miles. Early potters often used it to transport their wares to the more commercial areas of the state. * By 1913, N.C. prohibition laws forced most whiskey stills to close. The term "Moonshine" soon came to be common, as many stills continued to operate by the light of the moon. Business at the barrel shop near the heart of Seagrove slowed greatly. * Luck's Beans, the linchpin and backbone of the Seagrove economy for many years, was formed by Ivey Luck and Alfred Spencer in 1947 and originally named Mountain View Canning Company. * The average monthly salary for an area school teacher was $24.00; school sessions were commonly held for three months during the winter after all the crops were harvested. Many other historical facts, figures, and family lore are included. Ten percent of all book sales will be donated to the North Carolina Pottery Center in Seagrove, N.C.
ISBN: 1943007004 (paperback) / Published by: American Legacies Press / Published Date: 2016
As a history major I have always loved reading historical books and learning unique details of geographic areas. To be able to read one about Seagrove that is so close to where I grew up was fabulous. As I read it brought memories of days gone by. Memories from my childhood as I recalled going with both my dad and my grandpa to the Seagrove hardware store; later going there to get seed for planting! Thinking about friends that worked at Lucks Foods and friends that I visited some of the churches with through the years. I could visualize the early days and believe our society would be better if we still had some of the 1700-1800 school rules! You will not want to miss reading that list! The pictures are great; showing a simpler life; not always easy but definitely slower pace than we live. Interesting to read about the different mayors and civic activities that helped grow and form the community! Being from the area made the book extra special, however, if you enjoy learning about the roots of our country and being reminded of those who came before us and the influence in our lives now you will start reading and not put the book down until you are finished. GREAT READ! It has become one of my coffee table books. Can't wait until family and friends come and I will get to watch them get lost between the pages of this one, too!
I could not put it down!
What a wonderful tribute and peek into the small town of Seagrove, NC. While Seagrove is world renowned for the pottery created throughout the area, it has maintained a tight knit community feel. This book explains how the area was developed and a peek at why it's still a favorite. We have recently been studying our family history and found the information to be invaluable to those who might be looking for their Seagrove family. I especially enjoyed the history of the schools and their rules.
This book is of especial interest for familiar names and places for those who have lived in the Seagrove, NC area, but it is of broader interest for those who desire to know the development of small towns in the beginning of our nation. Esau Spencer's diary excerpt demonstrates the bare essential of subsistence living, making a livelihood from back-breaking toil and by one's wits. It also extolls the outstanding virtue of hospitality and altruism to one's fellowman in the midst of people's struggle to make ends meet and to survive. The accounts verify the gentility of human kindness to one's neighbor or to a stranger. Overall, a good read containing both history and personal accounts
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The original book was titled "Seagrove Area" and published in 1976 by Dorothy and Walt Auman. With a limited print run, it would eventually become scarce and most often sell for $50-$100 via online auction sites.
This new edition was published in an effort to make the book widely available at a reasonable price for pottery collectors and Seagrove enthusiasts, and was produced through the combined efforts of Editor Philip Burrow and the Auman's only son, Walt Auman.
Dot and Walter Auman were well-known and much-loved folk potters of Seagrove, the small North Carolina town that has now become world-renowned as the pottery capital of the world. Long before Seagrove achieved its current acclaim, Dot became interested in the local history of the area. Realizing that no such book existed, she set out to interview local citizens and write a text.
The Aumans both died in a tragic 1991 accident when a load of lumber fell from a tractor-trailer truck and crushed their van, killing both instantly.
Walt Auman / Consultant
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