SHRIMP BY THE BAY ATTRACTS HUGE CROWD
THE DRAM TREE SOCIETY HOSTS FIRST GATHERING
ADACHI MAKES SENSE OF SENSE..."Sense and Sensibility (2026): A Little Too Raw for My Taste"
Perfect Night for a Preservation Presentation
THE DRAM TREE SOCIETY TAKES ROOT ON BARKER HOUSE PORCH
It was a perfect night for a preservation presentation encouraging future preservationists to participate in Edenton's continued preservation.
Edenton Historical Commission Director of Marketing, Development and Community Events Patti Mordecai along with Commission board members planned the event hosted by Mary Ann and Robert Daniel, Sallie and Ryland Elliott and Caroline and Marshall Ellis. The Barker House Porch overlooking the harbor’s cypress was the perfect platform for the gathering.
The event marked the beginning of a new branch of the Edenton Historical Commission, bringing residents together to help carry the town’s preservation efforts into the next generation.
The cypress tree in Edenton’s harbor is referred to as the Dram Tree with an interesting folklore history.
The society’s name draws on Edenton’s maritime lore. According to local tradition, sailors paused at a harbor cypress known as the Dram Tree to share a small drink of rum and toast a safe voyage, leaving a supply for those who followed. More colorful versions of the legend warn that bad luck awaited crews who neglected the custom.
Young and upcoming area families with a passion for preservation where invited to the event with the hope of attracting new members to participate in the commission.
Held Oct. 15 on the Barker House porch, the gathering introduced the society with cocktails and conversation in a setting closely tied to the commission’s work.
“Preservation for the Next Generation,” was Commission member Charles Davis’ take away message as he outlined the purpose behind the evening. The new branch is being formed to involve the next generation of Edentonians in the preservation of both place and lifestyle.
That mission builds on the work of the Edenton Historical Commission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preservation projects and education in Chowan County. The commission sponsors the annual Christmas Candlelight Tour, maintains the Barker House Welcome Center and supports other preservation efforts that help make Edenton a special place for generations to come.
The Barker House offered a fitting starting point. As a welcome center maintained by the commission, it connects visitors and residents with the town’s past. Thursday’s gathering turned attention toward the people who will help sustain that work in the future.
The society’s cypress image gives the new organization a distinctly local identity. Standing in the harbor, its roots surrounded by water and its branches spreading above the shoreline view, the tree provides a natural symbol for an organization seeking to grow from an established preservation tradition.
With the launch of the Dram Tree Society, the commission is extending an invitation to another generation to take an active role in caring for the places and community traditions that define Edenton.
An impressive turnout brought a noticeable enthusiasm to the gathering. Chef Cheryl Orr once again provided a flavorful selection of artisan appetizers before some guests enjoyed a trolly tour around town.
Preservation efforts rock on... the Barker House porch
Residents with an interest and roots in the past gathered at the Barker House last week to welcome and encourage a younger generation to join the town wide effort of preserving the past for the future by joining the Edenton Historical Commission.
SHRIMP LOVERS CONVERGE ON GREEN FOR FRIED SHRIMP DELIGHT
Edenton Chowan Chamber Hosts Shrimp by the Bay
Shrimp by the Bay hosted a tent filling crowd.
Shrimpers, of sorts, gathered from far away towns to enjoy the Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce annual Shrimp by the Bay shrimp feed. Huge plates of perfectly prepared shrimp along with standard accompaniments were enjoyed by just short of 300 guests.
The yearly event has become a friends, neighbors and family tradition.
This year the event snuck in just before the rain dampened many spirits over the weekend. Saturday’s storm blew through Edenton earlier on Saturday morning, clearing sidewalks of window shoppers and proved to be a lengthy washing. The Edenton Farmers Market opened to a supportive umbrella toting crowd.
After last week’s Taste of the Inner Banks and this week’s Shrimp by the Bay, the courthouse green will be closed for a time to those seeking a gathering. Courthouse green culinary events have slowed down. However, for those concerned about next weekend’s meal, St. Ann’s is holding a take out only Fried Chicken Dinner Sale on Saturday Oct. 24 from 4:00 – 6:30 p.m. TAKE OUT ONLY...
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FIRE and POLICE DEPARTMENTS AWARDED FUNDING
GOODWIN SECURES ANOTHER WIN FOR EDENTON
NC State Representative Ed Goodwin presented Edenton Town Manager Corey Gooden with a check for $250,000 on Thursday, October 15, in support of Edenton’s public safety infrastructure.
The state budget allocation includes $125,000 for the Edenton Fire Department. The funds will be used to advance the development of construction, design and engineering plans for a proposed fire station and emergency services training facility at 115 Hicks St.. The Police Department’s $125,000 allocation will be used to replace aging patrol vehicles.
“The $250,000 in grant funding represents an important investment in Edenton’s public safety infrastructure. For our Police Department, the funding will allow us to replace aging patrol vehicles with modern, reliable equipment that will improve officer safety, enhance daily operations, and support employee morale and recruitment efforts. For the Fire Department, this funding will advance the development of a world-class Fire Station and Emergency Services Training Facility,” said Gooden. “ By supporting the preparation of design and construction documents for the Fire Department, this investment will move the project closer to becoming shovel-ready and position the Town to pursue future construction funding,”
Gooden expressed the Town of Edenton’s Mayor and Town Council, Administration, Police Department, and Fire Department are extremely grateful for Representative Goodwin’s continued support and commitment to our community.
“We sincerely appreciate Representative Goodwin’s recognition of Edenton’s needs and continued efforts to help our community strengthen essential public safety services. This investment will have a lasting impact on our employees, residents, and the future of Edenton,” said Gooden.
IN THE PICTURE
(L to R) Town Manager Corey Gooden; Police Department Administrative Assistant Rachel Cade; Fire Engineer Kevin Holton; Fire Chief Scott McGuire; Police Department Administrative Assistant Tawanda McKiver; Rep. Ed Goodwin; Fire Captain Josh Biggs; Police Sergeant Rusty Michaels; Firefighter Corey Riddick; and Police Sergeant Austin Wynn.
ADACHI: "A little too raw for my taste"
Elinor, Marianne, Margaret face predicaments
By Darryl Adachi
Sense and Sensibility (2026): A Little Too Raw for My Taste
Let’s start with a brief primer on Jane Austen’s England. In the late 18th century, middle- and upper-class women who did not marry faced a delicate balancing act: maintaining their respectability without the benefit of an independent income. For a woman who remained unmarried into her mid-twenties, marriage prospects could diminish considerably, leaving her with some decidedly unappealing options.
There was, for instance, the fate of the permanent dependent. Unmarried gentlewomen generally lacked the financial means to live independently and often found themselves taking up residence in the households of married brothers, uncles, or brothers-in-law. In exchange for room and board, they were expected to earn their keep as unpaid housekeepers, nurses to ailing relatives, or nannies to their nieces and nephews. Their employment options were limited, too. If family charity ran dry, a gentlewoman had few socially acceptable ways to earn a living without compromising her place in society. Two of the more respectable options were becoming a governess or a lady’s companion.
Such was the predicament facing the Dashwood women—Elinor, Marianne, and Margaret—in Sense and Sensibility. When their father, Henry Dashwood, dies, his estate passes to his son, John, from a previous marriage. John initially intends to provide for his half-sisters, as his father had hoped. But his notoriously selfish and snobbish wife, Fanny, persuades him that giving them a substantial allowance would amount to depriving their own young son of his rightful inheritance. Austen was particularly adept at portraying the original mean girls: women who wielded sarcasm, social ambition, and psychological manipulation to undermine other women. Fanny is a prime example.
Left without a secure inheritance and facing pressure from Fanny to vacate their home, the Dashwood women accept an offer from their cousin, Sir John Middleton, to move to a modest cottage in Devonshire. There, they become acquainted with local society, including Mrs. Jennings, a widowed, exuberant, and relentless gossip who turns out to be a fiercely loyal friend and something of a protective mother figure. They also encounter Colonel Brandon, a bachelor and retired British Army officer whose quiet integrity and steadfast loyalty to the Dashwoods make him one of the story’s more admirable characters.
And this is where the story takes off.
Sense and Sensibility revolves around the efforts of family and friends to encourage the Dashwood sisters toward suitable romantic attachments, with marriage very much the intended destination. At the center of the romantic complications are Edward Ferrars, Elinor’s love interest, and Willoughby, with whom Marianne falls passionately in love. Edward loves Elinor, but personal complications and a powerful sense of honor prevent him from declaring himself free to marry her. For much of the film, we suffer alongside Elinor as she struggles with a painful and complicated mixture of emotions that she largely conceals from her family. Matters are made worse by the fact that Edward is Fanny’s brother, and Fanny fiercely opposes any prospect of a romance between him and Elinor. As for Willoughby, he turns out to be considerably less than the ideal suitor Marianne imagines him to be.
I won’t be giving anything away by saying that Sense and Sensibility ultimately ends happily. Austen’s novels generally tie things up rather neatly, reflecting the conventions of the marriage plot and the novel of manners, in which the restoration of social order and the resolution of romantic entanglements were expected features of the genre. That said, I can offer my thoughts on the film itself, and I’ll try to do so with at least a modicum of literary restraint.
The 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning one, and it is easy to see why. Directed by Ang Lee and anchored by an exceptional cast that included Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, and Alan Rickman, it remains a particularly appealing interpretation of Austen’s novel. Having seen both versions, I found the 1995 film bright, enchanting, and romantic. The 2026 adaptation, by contrast, appears to favor a darker, moodier atmosphere. The earlier film is celebrated for its warm, lush cinematography, sweeping score, and traditional Regency elegance. The newer version seems to take a more deliberate turn toward gritty realism, with muted colors and subdued lighting replacing much of the glossy perfection associated with its predecessor.
Let’s get nit-picky here.
I waited nearly two hours for the sun to come out. Until the film’s closing moments, virtually every exterior shot, whether in the countryside or in London, seemed to take place beneath a blanket of gray clouds. I’m not sure this is quite the image the British Tourist Authority would choose to promote. And the interiors were hardly more inviting. At times, I found myself wondering, “Were candles really that hard to come by in the late 18th century?” Dinner parties featuring lavish food and elaborate dancing were dimly lit, as were scenes set in virtually every home. The overall effect was so gloomy that I was tempted to reach for the flashlight on my mobile phone. Atmosphere is one thing; making the audience strain to see what is happening is quite another.
Then there is Marianne.
She is certainly not unattractive, but was it the director’s intention to make her look just a little feral? I appreciate the desire to introduce a measure of 18th-century realism but surely combs and hairbrushes were available even to ladies of limited means. Marianne’s hair looked perpetually unkempt, while Elinor appeared to have mastered the art of proper grooming and styling. I found myself focusing on Marianne’s hair in almost every scene in which she appeared. Is this a petty observation? Perhaps. But I have to say that it was distracting.
Whenever I watch a period film set in Austen’s world, I find myself wondering whether there might have been an 18th-century equivalent of the Arthur Murray School of Dancing. There seems to be an unwritten rule that every Austen adaptation must include at least one elaborate dance scene. Perhaps these gatherings provided one of the few socially acceptable settings in which gentlemen and gentlewomen could enjoy a degree of physical contact without inviting scandal. That is all well and good. What fascinates me, however, is the intricacy of the dances themselves. We are not talking about the waltz, the foxtrot, or the cha-cha we might have learned in ballroom dancing classes at school. These dances are highly choreographed, stylized affairs, with intricate steps and precise formations that the participants execute with remarkable aplomb. Where, I wonder, would young women like the Dashwoods have learned all these moves, without the benefit of YouTube tutorials or TikTok videos? It is a question that invariably crosses my mind whenever I watch one of these sequences in an Austen film.
So, what did I think of the film?
For me, it was simply a bit too raw. When I think back to the 1995 Sense and Sensibility and even the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, I realize that my taste in Austen period dramas tends toward the more polished and visually sumptuous. I prefer my Regency England with a little more romance, a little less gloom, and perhaps a few better-combed heads of hair. This newer version may, in fact, offer a more realistic portrayal of the hardships and uncertainties facing women like the Dashwoods. Its grittier aesthetic may be precisely what the director intended, and viewers who prefer their period dramas less polished and more grounded may find much to appreciate. As for me, I’ll happily leave it to moviegoers to decide whether this adaptation disappoints or whether it represents a more determined attempt to remain faithful to Austen’s world. Perhaps the director was trying to be, shall we say, Austen-sibly true to the period.
Enjoy the Food, Spill the Tea, Coming to Edenton
DINNER AND A PLAY.....
...SPILL the TEA
Edenton Tea Party musical to open new performing arts center at John A. Holmes HS
The women of the Edenton Tea Party will take center stage in their hometown when Spill the Tea! becomes the inaugural production at the new John A. Holmes Performing Arts Center.
Performances are scheduled for Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. The final performance falls 252 years to the day after the Edenton Tea Party. Admission is free, but tickets must be reserved at www.spilltheteamusical.com.
Created by Edenton native Laurie Edwards, the musical draws inspiration from the 51 women who signed a declaration on Oct. 25, 1774, pledging their support for a boycott of British goods. Their actions provide the foundation for an original story and score that combine history, humor and the relationships of a town caught up in revolution.
Led by Penelope Barker, the women took a public stand at a time when they could neither vote nor hold public office. Their declaration attracted attention far beyond Edenton, with news of their protest reaching London.
For Edwards, bringing the musical home gives the production special meaning.
“There’s something pretty magical about watching this story unfold where these women actually lived and made history,” Edwards said.
Spill the Tea! portrays its characters as friends, spouses and neighbors navigating both everyday tensions and revolutionary change. The story brings Revolutionary-era Edenton to life, with part of the action extending to London.
The score blends pop, orchestral and traditional Broadway styles. According to the production announcement, the show takes a humorous and sometimes irreverent approach while recognizing the significance of the women’s decision to make their voices heard.
The hometown production marks a new chapter for local performing arts, opening the John A. Holmes Performing Arts Center with a story rooted in Edenton’s history. It also joins the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Spill the Tea! is funded in part by a grant from America 250 NC, a program of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Sponsors include Colony Tire & Service, Regulator Marine, Dr. and Mrs. Alex Kehayes, and Willful Entertainment
MAIN STREET EDENTON HAS A BROAD REACH
Main Street update reports $9.2 million in downtown investment
The numbers are impressive. The accomplishments have contributed to Edenton's growing popularity. Nearly $9.2 million in public and private downtown investment was reported in Main Street Edenton’s annual update to the Edenton Town Council Tuesday evening, along with progress on redevelopment projects and plans for a new public park.
Mayor Hackney High introduced Executive Director Ches Chesson, who outlined the nonprofit’s work and explained its finances, board structure and oversight of Project Teapot.
Chesson said the presentation also responded to public comments and questions about providing more frequent updates on the organization’s activities.
The organization’s accompanying report listed $4,885,200 in public investment and $4,302,200 in private investment downtown. It also recorded three facade improvements, three building improvements and a net gain of seven jobs.
Volunteers contributed 795 hours, valued at approximately $24,000, through 12 volunteer events, according to the report.
Main Street Edenton’s work centers on economic development through historic preservation, with programming organized around preservation, innovation and cultivation, Chesson said.
The organization has increased its facade grant budget from $6,000 last year to $10,000 this year. Building and business owners can apply for a $2,000 matching grant for exterior improvements, including awnings, window treatments and painting.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, Chesson said, and the organization hopes to continue expanding the program.
Several downtown projects are moving forward, although Chesson was cautious about predicting completion dates.
The Court Street parking area opened earlier this week, with parking lot striping still being finished. An elevator remains the final step in completing the building associated with Project Teapot.
Chesson said the goal is for Provalus to have staff working in the building by the end of October, but he stopped short of promising a completion date after earlier expectations had not been met.
Edenton Commons, the event venue at 213 S. Broad St., is under construction, with a target of completing the first floor by Dec. 1 and opening before the end of the year, he said.
Main Street Edenton is also developing plans for a pocket park at 207 S. Broad St. Conceptual designs have been prepared, and the organization is working on a capital campaign to pay for the project.
The proposed park would provide a public gathering space, restrooms on that side of Broad Street and a connection between Broad Street and the Court Street parking area.
Chesson said the working name is the Little Park, emphasizing that it would be an urban park rather than a parking lot.
Downtown parking remains a recurring topic at quarterly merchant meetings. With the Port Street project opening, Main Street Edenton plans to introduce signs directing motorists to parking areas away from Broad Street.
Chesson said discussions with the police chief include possible enforcement of downtown parking limits. Any changes would follow a period of directing motorists to available parking and educating the public, he said.
Financial transparency was another focus of the presentation.
Chesson said the organization had received its annual financial report from its accountant and was preparing its Form 990, the federal filing required of tax-exempt nonprofits. The filing will be available to the public upon request and posted online once filed, he said.
Main Street Edenton’s revenue comes from the town’s contribution, sponsorships, grants, private donations and event income.
The accompanying financial summary listed total revenues of $467,819 and expenses of $375,953. Government funding was listed at $200,000, with sponsorships providing $58,950 and grants $31,542.
The town’s support helps stabilize the budget while the organization builds other revenue sources, Chesson said. A goal is to develop events that produce net income that can be put back into programming.
Expenses include events, advertising, facade grants, special projects, payroll and professional services. Accounting and legal work are outsourced, and training helps the two-person staff keep up with its responsibilities, he said.
Chesson also explained Main Street Edenton’s role as developer and manager of Project Teapot. Project Teapot LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the nonprofit and is associated with the project’s New Markets Tax Credit financing.
Project funds are held in a separate account that Main Street Edenton cannot directly access, he said. Monthly payment applications, compliance documents and draw requests must be submitted before funds are released to an operating account to pay contractors. Construction consultants also review the work and payment requests.
The organization’s board combines appointed seats representing public and community organizations with elected members serving staggered two-year terms. Chesson said board members review and sign conflict-of-interest statements annually.
Main Street Edenton has also helped Edenton become a certified North Carolina music destination. Its website will provide information on music venues, performances and local musicians.
Looking ahead, downtown trick-or-treating is scheduled for Oct. 31. The 2027 calendar includes Boogie on Broad April 16, Rockfish May 15 and the Peanut Festival Oct. 2.
Chesson said Boogie on Broad typically draws 2,500 to 3,000 people downtown. About 65 to 70 percent of this year’s Nut Run participants came from out of town, he said.
The organization also tracks volunteer hours, new businesses, jobs and public and private investment for its annual state report. Chesson credited event coordinator Timmy Turner’s volunteer meetups with helping connect residents to local nonprofits and opportunities to participate.
Chesson, Turner and Main Street's progress has been monumental over the past years and is the envy of neighboring communities and throughout eastern North Carolina counties. The organization and its leaders received high praise at the annual NC Main Street Conference on both the regional and state wide stage increasing Edenton's reach and reputation as a charming, inviting, destination town.
Area Restaurants Tease Palates for Charity...
EATING SO OTHERS MAY
It was a culinary adventure for charity. A palate tease pleasing an overflow crowd of tented tasters sampling flavors from Edenton, Elizabeth City and Hertford eateries joining together to raise funds and awareness of food insecurities.
The line-up of restaurants offering samples of their specialties pleased the crowd of close to 200 people enjoying samples of She Crab Soup, BLT’s in a cup, BBQ pulled pork and along with delightful cream puffs.
While guests enjoyed a variety of flavors and mingling conversations, the chefs and staffs of the participating restaurants deserve a round of applause for leaving their home bases on a Saturday night to donate time, staff and ingredients.
The Broad St. Diner’s She Crab Soup was a huge. Steve and Mary Pat Gaffney have become known for their signature Broad St. Diner dish. The soup will be available beginning Saturday at the Edenton Farmers Market. Ronnie Bates took time out from the recent opening of The Capital Pizza Tavern to support the event with new menu samplings.
A Taste of the Inner Banks, regional restaurants and community members gathered under a rain pattered tent on Edenton’s Courthouse Green to benefit the Food Bank of the Albemarle.
The gathering had a mission that reaches well beyond the tasting tables: helping neighbors across northeastern North Carolina put food on their own tables.
Inspired by the former Taste of Edenton, the event revived a local tradition with a regional focus. Organizers announced that sponsorship support would allow all ticket proceeds to go directly to the Food Bank of the Albemarle.
Helping make the evening a success were Timmy Turner of Main Street Edenton; Leslie Hogan, CAC Board member, along with James Beard Award winning chef and event judge Ricky Moore; Denise Barnes, owner of The Venue; and Edenton-Chowan Chamber of Commerce President Susan Creed, bartender for the evening. Sponsor Kellogg Supply’s employees enjoyed VIP table service, while “Island Gerry” Maddox provided the music.
The evening also brought Hogan, former director of College of the Albemarle’s culinary program, together with two former students: Marsharel Moore now chef and owner of the Electric Garden, and Ashley Tedrow, a COA graduate and former lab assistant who now teaches cooking to area high school students through COA. For those hungry for another local offering, Broad Street Diner will feature she-crab soup at the Edenton Farmers Market beginning Saturday, with the soup also available at the diner.
Participating kitchens included Bistro Tropical, Blake’s Bistro, Broad Street Diner, Capital Pizza Tavern and Carolina Moon Bakery. College of the Albemarle, Cypress Creek Grill, Currituck BBQ, Downtown Roots, Electric Garden and Waterman’s Grill also joined the culinary lineup.
Together, the participants offered a chance to discover different kitchens in one setting while supporting a shared community cause. Beneath the trees on the historic green, tents and tables provided an informal backdrop for an evening centered on food and fellowship.
Chef and cookbook author Ricky Moore was also on hand, with copies of his SALTBOX Seafood Joint cookbooks displayed at his table. The James Beard Award-winning chef, whose Durham restaurant celebrates North Carolina seafood, was announced as the event’s guest judge for the Outstanding Dish Award and presenter of the People’s Choice Awards.
While the tasting highlighted the pleasures of sharing a meal, its beneficiary works year-round to make nutritious food available to people facing hunger. Based in Elizabeth City, the Food Bank of the Albemarle partners with more than 100 nonprofit and community organizations across 15 northeastern North Carolina counties, including Chowan, Bertie, Martin and Perquimans. These local partnerships help bring food assistance closer to the people who need it.
Among those partners is the Edenton-Chowan Food Pantry, a member agency of the Food Bank. The pantry also participates in its network of backpack programs, which provide children with food for weekends when school meals are unavailable. Other backpack partners include Good Shepherd Food Pantry, Ahoskie Food Pantry, Camden Food Pantry, Eagles Wings Food Pantry, Food for Thought and Currituck Extension Foundation. Through these organizations, support for the Food Bank helps reach families and children throughout the region.
For the restaurants, volunteers and guests gathered on Courthouse Green,was a celebration of local food with a special ingredient, an act of generosity—helping make the next meal possible for a neighbor.
Framing the Aces’ legacy
Simple request becomes a major woodworking project for Lucas Belton
When Lucas Belton received a call from John A. Holmes High School asking whether he could build a frame for some sports memorabilia, the request sounded straightforward.
Then came the jerseys, awards and trophies — enough to require a box truck to transport the multi framed collection to his studio.
For Belton, the owner and artist behind Rustic to Reclaimed, the assignment grew into a massive woodworking project using 1,000 feet of cypress. The result is a collection of substantial wooden frames designed to protect and bring order to the school’s athletic history.
These are frames within frames. Individually framed jerseys and awards slide into larger protective wooden surrounds, with the collection divided into sections by category. The design brings pieces of different sizes and styles together within a consistent framework while retaining their individual presentations.
Spread across Belton’s studio, the finished sections reveal the scale of the undertaking. Long rows of awards sit alongside broad displays holding several jerseys. Stacks of completed frames rise beside piles of lumber, their warm brown finish highlighting the sweeping grain of the cypress.
The wood provides a striking border for the Aces’ blue and gold, the white jerseys of East-West All-Star participants, and college and professional uniforms represented in the collection.
Among the pieces is a red Atlanta Falcons jersey bearing the name Chesson and the number 81. Its accompanying plate identifies Wes Chesson and his years as a wide receiver from 1971 to 1974. Nearby are framed Aces football jerseys, each with its own identifying plaque.
The collection also reaches beyond the football field. A swimming display includes blue racing shorts, a yellow cap, a medal and a photograph honoring James “Ches” Chesson’s 2008 state championship in the 100-yard freestyle. Other sections hold rows of conference awards recognizing team achievements.
Together, the pieces tell a story of individual accomplishment and shared school pride. Names, numbers, photographs and awards connect the athletes who wore the uniforms with the teams and community they represented.
Accommodating that variety required more than repeating a single frame design. Belton’s wooden surrounds had to fit everything from large jersey displays to smaller award plaques, creating sections suited to the contents while giving the overall collection a unified appearance.
What began with a phone call about a frame became a project measured in a truckload of memorabilia and 1,000 feet of cypress.
For Belton, the finished work puts his craftsmanship around another kind of handiwork: the athletic legacy built by generations of Edenton Aces.
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