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POLK COUNTY—Polk County has been chosen to be the subject of a comprehensive survey of historic buildings and landscapes, which will take place from 2024 to 2026.

The funding to execute the architectural survey comes from the Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund, which the National Park Service administered to locations affected by Hurricanes Florence and Michael. Polk County became eligible for the survey after being declared the site of a major disaster after Hurricane Florence. 

The survey enables the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office to plan projects intended to document the damage of past storms and prepare for future disasters. 

The survey will be led by Kelly Molloy, an architectural historian employed by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, who will investigate the historic buildings and landscapes of Columbus, Tryon, Saluda, and rural Polk County, focusing on buildings and landscapes built between the eighteenth century and the 1970s.  

“Our office is eager for the opportunity to explore Polk County’s historic built environment and we look forward to building relationships with residents that will produce beneficial results for communities in Polk County,” said Ramona Bartos, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. “We hope that data gathered during the survey will assist Polk County in planning for the preservation of its historic resources for years to come.”

For more information about the survey, contact Kelly Molloy by email at kelly.molloy@dncr.nc.gov or by phone at 919-814-6598.