House in the Horseshoe

As the Deep River wanders through North Carolina's Piedmont plateau near Sanford and curves in a horseshoe bend, there stands on a hilltop one of the first big houses of upland North Carolina frontier country, the House in the Horseshoe. This house is a rare surviving example of early Georgian-style frontier architecture in upland North Carolina. Built around 1772, its symmetry and simplicity stand in stark contrast to the violent Revolutionary War skirmish it endured — bullet holes from that July 29, 1781 clash between Patriot colonel Philip Alston and attacking Loyalist forces still scar its walls. During the skirmish, the Tories attempted to light the house on fire by rolling against it a cart filled with burning straw. After several casualties on both sides, Alston surrendered. In spring, the surrounding grounds come to life with blooming wildflowers, bringing color and calm to the historic site.