Morrisville Town Center Plan - 2007

Appendix 2

4. James Pugh House

10018 Chapel Hill Road Perhaps Morrisville’s most visible landmark is the James M. Pugh House. The structure has elaborate sawn wok displayed on the bracketed eaves, gable and vergeboards and front porch. Pugh, a prosperous merchant, built the home around 1870 and reflects the new wealth Morrisville experienced during Reconstruction. The “gingerbread trim” on the home and outbuildings is the best example of the unique Morrisville sawnwork. Pugh’s daughter, Mabel, is one of North Carolina’s most significant artists. During the 1920’s she illustrated books and magazines published in New York and abroad. She is best known for her printmaking and portraiture. Mabel is perhaps Morrisville’s earliest published author; she wrote and illustrated a book about her childhood in Morrisville titled “Carolina Blue Bonnet.”

Photo by Ernest Dollar

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60 │ Town Center Plan

January 2007