MONTREAT, N.C. — Montreat College has been awarded a $2.5 million grant from the National Park Service’s Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund (ESHPF) to help restore and preserve IntheOaks, one of North Carolina’s most historically and architecturally significant estates. This grant will contribute to the first phase of a long-term, full-scale restoration.
The NPS funding will begin a multi-year preservation initiative to repair storm-related damage from Hurricane Helene and to implement long-term mitigation measures to protect the nationally recognized Tudor Revival property for future generations. The complete restoration of the property will continue over additional project phases as funding is secured through other grants, partnerships, and private donations.
Located in Black Mountain and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, IntheOaks was constructed between 1919 and 1923 and later became home to significant moments in American history. The estate served as the residence of Franklin Silas Terry, a pioneering executive with General Electric whose work helped shape the early American electrical industry. In January 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and leaders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference gathered at IntheOaks for a strategic planning retreat during the Civil Rights Movement.
At approximately 24,000 square feet, IntheOaks is the second-largest historic home in North Carolina, surpassed only by the Biltmore Estate.
“This grant represents an extraordinary investment in the preservation of an irreplaceable piece of American history,” said Montreat College President Paul J. Maurer. “We are grateful to the National Park Service for partnering with Montreat College to ensure this landmark will continue serving our campus and the broader Western North Carolina community for generations to come.”
The project will address extensive vulnerabilities exposed and accelerated by Hurricane Helene, including water intrusion, foundation instability, moisture damage, aging infrastructure, and landscape erosion. Planned work includes:
- Reconstruction and repair of historic roofing and gutter systems
- Foundation stabilization and waterproofing
- Refurbishment of storm-damaged windows and doors with historically accurate units
- Restoration of historic plaster, oak paneling, and furnishings
- HVAC and electrical modernization to improve climate control and safety
- Installation of a natural-gas standby generator
- Rehabilitation of the estate’s historic landscape and drainage systems
All restoration activities will follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Architectural work will be led by LS3P, with construction partners selected through a competitive procurement process.
The grant project period will run through March 2029 and will be completed in phased stages, including planning and compliance, exterior stabilization, interior restoration, systems modernization, landscape rehabilitation, and final preservation easement execution.
Once phase 1 is completed, IntheOaks will continue serving as an educational and cultural resource for Montreat College students and faculty while also expanding opportunities for public events, leadership retreats, weddings, tours, and community gatherings. College leaders anticipate the revitalized estate will further strengthen regional tourism and contribute to the economic vitality of Western North Carolina.
The grant was awarded through the National Park Service’s Emergency Supplemental Historic Preservation Fund, which supports recovery and preservation efforts for historic resources impacted by major natural disasters.