Davenport House in Historic Washington County, NC

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For more information please call the Port O' Plymouth Museum -252-793-1377
or the Washington County Chamber of Commerce - 252-793-4804
Email: harry@plymouthmuseum.com

	Owned and maintained by The Historical Society of Washington County, North Carolina, Davenport Homestead is located 3 miles off US Highway #64, west of Creswell, NC, in the community of Mt. Tabor. For more information contact Loretta Phelps 1-252-797-4336.
Davenport House Day Celebration First Saturday in June on odd number years

Daniel Davenport represented the newly formed Washington County in the N.C. Senate in 1800 and from 1803 -1807. He died before taking office in 1808 and was replaced by Thomas Johnson. His occupation was listed as a farmer. He owned 1,211 acres of land, part of which was from grants. He owned 996 acres in the Davenport Community north of the Scuppernong River, (now known as Mt. Tabor). He raised cotton, wheat, flax and tobacco. The homestead had oxen, mules, horses, hogs, chickens, geese, cattle, goats and sheep. Trapping was popular both for food and the hides. Wildlife was plentiful at that time.

While in office, Davenport was instrumental in getting many bills passed concerning Washington County. Most noteworthy was a bill to authorize Ebenezer Pettigrew to erect a drawbridge across the Scuppernong River at the landing of Dempsy Spruill. This bridge replaced the wooden bridge on the road leading to the mill on Lake Phelps. It had to be a drawbridge so that vessels could travel up the river to Cherry landing with their goods.

The blocks that support the house are made of cypress wood. Cypress was plentiful in the area when the house was built in the late 1700's. Each room of the house contains artifacts pertinent to daily living. The loom located in the Loom House was used to weave threads to make homespun fabric to be used for clothes, sheets, tablecloths, etc. Discarded clothing and rags were used to make quilts as well as rugs. Nothing was thrown away that could be used again. The loft was used for the children's sleeping quarters, which was entered by a crude ladder.
Food was prepared in the open hearth. An iron crane that could swing into and out of the fireplace held pots above the heat. Other pots, such as Dutch ovens were placed directly on the coals. Iron was used because it distributes and retains hear evenly while cooking food quickly. Gourd bowls, dippers and pottery were common kitchen equipment.
The week's wash was boiled in big black pots. Then it was scrubbed on wash boards with lye soap. After rinsing, it was hung to dry on bushes or a clothesline. For ironing, the iron was filled and heated with fire coals. For sweeping and cleaning, a straw broom was used to sweep the house. A reed broom was used to keep the yard clean. Chickens ran free and ate the grass, thus you had a bare yard!