Seagrove, NC - Westmoore Pottery of Seagrove, North Carolina was honored to receive the Barrington Award of Excellence at the recent Annual Awards Banquet of the North Carolina Society of Historians, held on October 23, 2010, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mooresville. As the award plaque reads, the Barrington Award of Excellence was presented "in grateful recognition of their dedication and devotion to preserving and perpetuating North Carolina's rich history."
In presenting the award, society president Elizabeth Sherrill stated that it was given to Westmoore Pottery "for their constant perpetuation of NC history through pottery, exhibits and displays, demonstrations, [and] workshops."
Potters David and Mary Farrell of Westmoore Pottery are very active in preserving techniques and styles of historical pottery. The pieces they make from clay are used regularly by military reenactment groups and by museums as furnishings and in programs. The Farrells are often named among a handful of the best traditional potters in the nation today, with work found in museum and private collections around the country.
"It was such a surprise to receive this award," said potter Mary Farrell. "We are certainly interested in preserving North Carolina's pottery past, especially styles of wares made in North Carolina in the 1750 - 1850 period, and it was an honor to be recognized for our work."
The North Carolina Society of Historians was established in 1941 for the purpose of collecting, preserving, and perpetuating North Carolina's rich history, and for recognizing those persons who fulfill the society's objectives. Awards are presented yearly in several historical and genealogical categories relating to local, regional, or statewide history. As well as the Barringer Award, the society honors books, publishers, multimedia, journals, articles, newsletters, societies, religious enterprises, family histories, historical fiction, museums, and historians. This year's winners were selected from over 729 nominations.
Westmoore Pottery is located at 4622 Busbee Road, just off Highway 705 between Robbins and Seagrove, North Carolina, and is open to the public from 9-5 Monday through Saturday.
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