Dear North Carolina Daughters,
As you may be aware, the State Society was given an opportunity to consider ownership of the Foscue Plantation House, a historic home and its adjacent property located in Jones County. For several months, leaders in both the Graham and Weiss administrations visited the property, reviewed dozens of documents related to the property, and have held regular conference calls to review these documents and discuss the potential impact on the State Society. Specifically, these Daughters considered the implications of a long-term relationship with the Foscue foundation on the State Society and reviewed information from other state societies that own historic properties to learn more about how these properties are maintained and managed. Finally, the State Society consulted outside legal counsel to discuss the legal ramifications of owning such a property, which included the potential need to create a non-profit subsidiary corporation, liability issues, investment issues, employment matters, etc.
After a thorough and thoughtful consideration of the proposed transition of ownership, the decision was made to decline the offer. The demands of owning the property in the manner that was proposed deserves a level of resources and attention that the State Society is currently unable to provide while also maintaining a balance with the entirety of the National Society’s mission – supporting patriotism, education, and historic preservation. This was a difficult decision but one which all involved felt was in the best interest of the State Society.
We greatly appreciate the opportunity to learn more about the Foscue family’s contributions to North Carolina and are confident that the Foscue family will find a suitable caretaker for their family legacy.
In DAR service,
Carole Nunalee Weiss
Carole Weiss, State Regent
