Whalehead Preservation Trust Records, ORG.5084
Abstract
The Whalehead Preservation Trust was established in 1993 as a non-profit 501(C)(3)
organization charged with safeguarding Currituck County's cultural heritage by preserving
the Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla, North Carolina. The Whalehead
Club building originally served as the hunt club and vacation home of industrialists
Edward and Marie Louise Knight of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was built between
1922 and 1925 in the art nouveau style, which was popular at that time. The Whalehead
Preservation Trust Records, 1993-2010, contains correspondence, financial papers,
meeting minutes, by-laws, blueprints, maps, and ephemera related to the Whalehead
Club and surrounding area and the administrative duties of the Whalehead Presrvation
Trust.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Whalehead Preservation Trust Records
- Call Number
- ORG.5084
- Creator
-
Whalehead Preservation Trust
- Date
- 1992-2010
- Extent
- 1.300 cubic feet, 1.610 cubic feet
- Language
-
English
- Repository
-
Outer Banks History Center
Restrictions on Access & Use
Use Restrictions
Copyright is retained by the authors of these materials, or their descendants, as
stipulated by United States copyright law (Title 17 US Code). Individual researchers
are responsible for using these materials in conformance with copyright law as well
as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], ORG.5084, Whalehead Preservation Trust Records, Outer Banks
History Center, Manteo, N.C., U.S.A.
Collection Overview
The Whalehead Preservation Trust Records, 1993-2010, contains correspondence, financial
papers, meeting minutes, by-laws, blueprints, maps, and ephemera. Materials in the
collection relate to the maintenance and upkeep of the Whalehead Club and grounds
as well as the administrative duties and activities of the trust itself, including
information regarding exhibits, collections and accessions policies, and documents
relating to the Whalehead Hunt Club restoriation projects.
Arrangement Note
This collection is arranged into seven series: Introduction to Whalehead Preservation
Trust; Correspondence; Meeting Minutes and Agendas; Financial Papers; Currituck Heritage
Park Grounds and Buildings; Policies, Procedures, and Activities; Maps and Blueprints.
Historical Note
The Whalehead Preservation Trust was established in 1993 as a non-profit 501(C)(3)
organization dedicated to safeguarding Currituck County, North Carolina's cultural
heritage.
The Whalehead Club building originally served as the hunt club and vacation home of
industrialists Edward and Marie Louise Knight of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Knight
built the home for his wife, an outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed hunting and horseback
riding. The Knights used the club as their own private retreat and to entertain their
friends and relatives.
The home was built between 1922 and 1925 in the art nouveau style, which drew upon
nature as a design element. Door handles molded in the shape of a duck's head and
flowering wainscoting and wall sconces are examples of art nouveau elements found
within the Whalehead Club. Originally called "Corolla Island" by Marie Knight, the
name was changed to Whalehead Club by the second owner, Ray T. Adams.
Adams leased the property to the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. The club changed
ownership and served as a boy's school and later a solid rocket fuel-testing base.
It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
In 1992 Currituck County purchased the Whalehead Club (which had begun to deteriorate)
and the remaining 40 acres of land surrounding it. The Whalehead Preservation Trust
was formed to oversee a major restoration of the mansion, boathouse and grounds that
began in the spring of 1999. The group offered tours of the mansion with revenues
generated devoted to maintaining the Whalehead Club. However, ongoing financial difficulties
resulted in Currituck County taking over operations of the club, and the Whalehead
Preservation Trust officially dissolved in 2016.
Contents of the Collection
1. Introduction to Whalehead Preservation Trust
Introduction to Whalehead Preservation Trust
Box 1
2. Correspondence, 1992-2008
Correspondence, 1992-2008
Box 1
3. Financial Papers, 1996-2010
Proposed Budget, 1999-2009
Box 1
Budget Reconciliation Reports, 1996-1999
Box 1
Analysis of Tour Counts, 1999-2004
Box 1
"Under the Oaks" Art Festival Accounting Summary, 2004
Box 1
Monthly Financial Reports, Sept.-Oct. 2008
Box 1
Whalehead Club Accounts and Descriptions
Box 1
Account Balance Sheets, 1999-2004
Box 2
Financial Report, Fiscal Year, 2007-2008
Box 2
Monthly Financial Reports, 2008-2010
Box 3
4. Currituck Heritage Park Grounds and Buildings, 1999-2009
Whalehead Club Property Layout
Box 2
Whalehead Club Restoration Phase I Cost Estimates, 1999
Box 2
Investigation Report by Rodriguez, Ripley, Maddox, and Motley Architects, of the Whalehead
Club Chimneys and Decks, 2003
Box 2
Currituck Heritage Park Grounds Layout by Rodriguez, Ripley, Maddox, and Motley Architect
Firm, 2003
Box 2
Mechanical Room Inspection, 2004
Box 2
Whalehead Club Preliminary Condition Assessment, 2006
Box 2
Whalehead Club Planned Site Improvement Projects, 2007
Box 2
Whalehead Club Goals, 2005-2008
Box 2
Design Development Cost Estimates for Site Improvements, Whalehead Club Restoration
Box 2
Project Estimates for Whalehead Club Photographic Documentation
Box 2
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Investigations at the Whalehead Club, 2009
Box 4
National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form
Box 4
Furnishings Plan, 2005-2009
Box 4
5. Policies, Procedures, and Activities Papers, 1996-2010
Whalehead Preservation Club Policies and Procedures
Box 2
Whalehead Preservation Trust Accessions Policy
Box 2
Whalehead Preservation Trust Collections Policy
Box 2
Whalehead Club Archive Inventory
Box 2
Whalehead Preservation Trust By-laws
Whalehead Preservation Trust Board Members, 2006-2007
Box 2
Whalehead Preservation Trust Memorandum of Understanding with Currituck County, 2007
Box 2
Whalehead Preservation Trust Winter Work Plans
Box 2
Whalehead Tour Guide, 1996-2006
Box 2
Whalehead Club Gun Room Exhibit
Box 3
Whalehead Trust Lease Agreement Proposal to Currituck County Commissioners
Box 3
Whalehead Preservation Trust Accomplishments, 1999
Box 3
Agreement Between Whalehead Preservation Trust and Currituck Wildlife Museum
Whalehead Club Volunteers, 1999
Box 3
Whalehead Club Docents, 1998
Box 3
Whalehead Preservation Trust Research Update, 2002
Box 3
Whalehead Boat Ramp, 1990-2009
Box 3
Development Committee of the Whalehead Preservation Trust: Responsibilities and Activities
Box 3
Currituck Wildlife Museum
Box 3
Currituck Wildlife Museum Organization and Funding Plan
Box 3
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission: Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education
Concept Summary, 1999
Box 3
First Draft of a Proposal for Whalehead Club Preservation Society and Currituck Wildlife
Museum Foundation
Box 3
Currituck Wildlife Education Center and Whalehead Club Interpretive Framework Outline, 1999
Box 3
Currituck Wildlife Guild Collection
Box 3
Strategic Plan Six Month Progress Report,2008
Box 3
Currituck Heritage Park Policies and Procedures: General Information
Box 3
Currituck Heritage Park, "A Day of Celebration", 2002
Box 3
Organizational Self-Assessment Check List
Box 3
Knight's Ball, Missing Auction Items List
Box 3
Whalehead Club Schedule of Events, 2004-2008
Box 3
"Restoring the Corolla Channel in the Currituck Sound", 2008
Box 3
National Park Service NAGPRA Grants, 2001
Box 3
Whalehead Window, Newsletter for Whalehead Preservation Trust, 2000-2008
Box 3
Federation Bulletin, Federation of North Carolina Historical Societies Newsletter, 1999
Box 3
Whalehead Club Employees Handbook
Box 3
Whalehead Club Job Descriptions
Box 3
Whalehead Club Executive Director Recruitment Guidelines, Schedule and Interview Questions
Box 3
Resumes, Employees and Potential Employees
Box 3
Whalehead Club History, incomplete, missing pages
Box 3
Order Form for Book, 2004
Box 4
Whalehead Preservation Trust Curator's Report, 2006-2010
Box 4
Timeline for Edward Collings Knight, Jr. (1863-1936), 2006
Box 4
6. Meeting Minutes and Agendas, 1993-2010
Currituck County Board of Commissioners Meeting Agendas, 1999
Box 1
Education Committee Meeting Notes, 2007
Box 1
Administrative Committee Meeting Minutes, 2007
Box 1
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes, 2003-2009
Box 1
Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
Annual Meeting Minutes and Agendas, 2004-2009
Box 1
Board of Directors Retreat, 2006
Box 1
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, 2009-2010
Box 3
New Board Member Orientation Packet, 2006
Box 3
7. Blueprints and Maps
Maps and Blueprints, Whalehead Hunt Club Property and Whalehead Hunt Club Restoration
Box 3
Restoration Blueprints and Property Maps, 2003
Folder Restoration Blueprints and Property Maps
Subject Headings
Whalehead Club (Corolla, N.C.)
Whalehead Preservation Trust
Historic preservation--North Carolina--Corolla
Corolla (N.C.)
Acquisitions Information
Donated by Barbara Snowden, October 2004, September 2008, March 2009, and April 2010.
Processing Information
Processed by Kelly R. Grimm October, 2009. Updated by Samantha Crisp, August 2018.