NORTH CAROLINA'S GREAT AMERICAN TREASURES

In celebration of America's 250th birthday, the "Burgwin-Wright Presents..." podcast is honoring North Carolina's Great American Treasures, the historic properties saved and supported by The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of North Carolina. Each month in 2026, the podcast will visit one of these properties to tell its history and explore how the North Carolina Dames became involved in preserving its legacy for future generations.

Episode 1: Burgwin-Wright House

To begin this special series, we are starting at home –– or rather the Dames' headquarters –– with a look at the 20th century history of the Burgwin-Wright House and how the Dames defied the odds to save it from demolition on the brink of World War II.

Our returning special guest Christine Lamberton, the museum director for the Burgwin-Wright House and Gardens, shares why the Dames made it their mission to rescue the house and restore it to its colonial glory, and how they faced war, the Great Depression and big corporations to do it.

Episode 2: Joel Lane Museum House

In the heart of Raleigh stands the Joel Lane Museum House, a remnant of the colonial era before the state, the county or the city were formed. The stories of Joel Lane, his family and those enslaved on his plantation tell of a pivotal moment in American history, and the house offers incredible insight into life at the dawn of North Carolina.

This month's guest is Joel Lane Museum House director Lanie Hubbard, who joins to talk about using Joel Lane's history, as well as those of his family and enslaved workers, to share early American history, as well as the role of the Dames in saving it nearly a century ago.

Episode 3: Fourth House

At the heart of the 1766 Moravian settlement of Salem sat a residential home that was not unlike its neighbors. However, over the past 250 years, Fourth House, as it is known, has become a torch bearer for the residential way of life in the historical community. Now part of Old Salem's living history site, Fourth House helps tell the story of a colonial life, the vestiges of which can still be seen in the surrounding area today.

This month's guest is Johanna Brown, Chief Curator and Director of Collections, Archaeology and Research at Old Salem Museums and Gardens in Winston-Salem. She discusses the origins of Old Salem, the artisan community’s legacy and how Fourth House continues its own story as a residential home today.