In connection with the tour, Rita and Andy Booth, owners of Carriage Towne Commons in the old Sinclair Furniture Building, will host an informal Christmas celebration afterward. Shops within the Commons offer antiques, local art works, children's clothing and gift items.
One of the homes on this year’s tour is that of Carol and John Cleetwood. The “Cabin at Black Rock” is located at 5047 Glendon Carthage Road on 10 acres of land once known as Black Rock.
Angus Wicker, a carpenter from Carthage, built the original two rooms and front porch of the cabin around 1933. The three bedrooms, screened porch, bathroom and kitchen were added in 1939. Additions were made in 1992 and 2005.
The cabin, built as a summer house for Ollie Nall and her sister, Bessie Nall Williams, was constructed using pine logs cut from the property. Their brother, Bennie Nall, owned and operated a saw mill and produced the pine flooring for the cabin. The rocks used for the foundation, fireplace and chimneys were from the Nall homeplace located across the road. Ollie and Bessie made their permanent move to the cabin in 1935.
The cabin has been home to the Cleetwoods for the last 17 years. John is the assistant principal at B.T. Bullock Elementary School in Sanford, and Carol is town manager for the Town of Carthage.
Other homes on the tour include those of Nancy Cleetwood Carter, Margaret and Cleet Cleetwood, Doreen and Peter Little, Nancy and Roland Gilliam, and Nancy Blount. The Carthage Museum will also be open.
Advance tickets are $8, and are available at Centura Bank, Fidelity Bank, Bank of the Carolinas, Carthage Municipal Building and Carriage Towne Commons. Tickets are $10 the day of the tour at the Carthage Museum and tour homes.
