Hope you can join us tomorrow for a fantastic Saturday afternoon honoring community connections with stories, music, and much more...
Event Schedule:
1:00-6:00 Hugh Torance House and Store Open with food, specialty sodas, beer, wine, and local sundries for sale in the oldest standing store in NC.
1:00-6:00 The Outpost Tent Open featuring the Reunion Project, HEARTS Circle, and fresh lavender and flowers for sale. Come visit and share your stories in the shade!
2:00-6:00 Cedar Grove Presentations
2:00-6:00 "Nature Through the Artist's Eyes," in Cedar Grove Front Hall. Visual art by Tony Griffin and Nicole Schoepflin.
2:15 Special guests, the "Stroller Singers" in Cedar Grove Parlor.
2:30 "Returning to Cedar Grove" genealogy presentation by Andre' Kearns Cedar Grove Parlor.
3:00 Featured Reunion connections from Smithville, Pottstown, and Miranda.
3:30-5:30 Soul jazz and blues by Calvin Edwards Trio in Cedar Grove Parlor.
The "R" in HEARTS is for Reunion, and provides an important genealogical component to the HEARTS (history, ecology, art, reunion, trails, store) mission, seeking to connect descendants of the Huntersville, NC historic sites known as Cedar Grove and the Hugh Torance House and Store, as well as the surrounding area.
In June, Reunion connections are honored at “Junion,” a free community event on Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 1:00-6:00 at Cedar Grove. “Junion” features stories, music, art, and real historical community connections.
Cedar Grove Parlor at 2:30
The event’s keynote speaker is Andre’ Kearns, presenting "Returning to Cedar Grove." Mr. Kearns is a descendant of Charlotte Kerns, a woman who was enslaved to James G. Torrance, the man who built the Cedar Grove plantation. He will share his approach to genealogy, how he applied it to trace his connection back to Cedar Grove, and how his journey has helped to inspire the HEARTS Reunion genealogy initiative. Mr. Kearns is a genealogist, speaker, and writer, who serves on the board of the National Genealogical Society. He holds a BA in Business Administration from Morehouse College and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He lives in Washington DC with his wife and two sons.
Following Mr. Kearns' presentation, additional Torrance connections to the historic African American neighborhoods of Smithville, Pottstown, and Long Creek, will also be shared.
Cedar Grove Parlor 3:30 PM
In addition to sharing stories and connections, the arts are always an integral part of HEARTS events. Following the presentation, the musical feature of the event, “Cedar Groove,” presents the Calvin Edwards Trio. Mr. Edwards is a notable soul jazz and blues musician, international artist, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. At the age of six, he began to play the guitar. His father, a well-known songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist was on the gospel music scene, and his mother helped to shape his career. At 17, he joined the famous Gospel group, The Five Blind Boys of Alabama. He played with them for many years and then moved to L.A. to play in his brother’s band, The Jett Edwards Band. Since then, he has traveled extensively entertaining audiences with his amazing talents and toe-tapping tunes. We can't wait to hear his sounds fill the room at Cedar Grove!
Throughout the event, visual artworks of Tony Griffin and Nicole Schoepflin are featured in "Nature Through the Artist's Eyes" in Cedar Grove's front hall.
“Junion” is the fourth event for HTHS featuring the HEARTS mission highlighting History, Ecology, Arts, Reunion, Trails, and Store. HEARTS events share place-based experiences and explore local connections through the arts, nature, and history, providing a multi-faceted event for all ages.
The 1779 Hugh Torance House and Store, the oldest standing store in North Carolina, becomes new again at HEARTS events and serves as the event hub for the afternoon, offering artisan goods, beer, wine, and sundries from 1:00-6:00 PM. Fresh lavender from Lavender Ridge in Troutman and fresh wildflowers will also be available for purchase in the Outpost Tent, as well as information on the Reunion Project and HEARTS Circle.
The historic Store is one of Mecklenburg County’s few surviving 18th-century structures and is adjacent to Cedar Grove, the 1831 Greek Revival home of James Torrance, son of Hugh and Isabella Torance. Cedar Grove opens its doors for HEARTS events presenting music, drama, and visual arts connecting local history, nature, stories, and the community together.
This is a free community event with RSVPs requested on the Events page. All guests registering online become eligible for door prizes announced at the event throughout the day.
This event is made possible by dedicated volunteers, HEARTS Circle members, Lake Norman Realty, Old Mecklenburg Brewery, Pinky's Westside, and community donations. All proceeds benefit HTHS’s efforts to further the HEARTS mission of historic preservation, ecological conservation, and forging community connections in our region. The historic Hugh Torance House and Store is located at 8231 Gilead Road, Huntersville, NC 28078.
The Store and HEARTS events are operated by the Hugh Torance House and Store (HTHS), a private 501c3 nonprofit. Group tours and volunteer opportunities for stewardship, preservation, and conservation are available. For more information, visit www.hught.org, email info@hughtorancehouseandstore.org, or call (704) 920-9931.