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Historic House Tour
Cumming-Duls House 1871
120 Nun Street
Last year, with the support of the church’s
parishioners, Henry Johnston of Johnston
Architecture was among the principals to complete
the historic reconstruction of the 1901 home
that Bacon designed for MacRae and family.
The church acquired the house in 1955 and has
since used it primarily for its offices.
During its capital campaign, St. James’ church-goers
raised $3.1 million, of which $1.25 million
was spent on restoration of the MacRae House;
$500,000 of that sum was given by the heirs of
Ann Moore Bacon. When the restoration was
complete in 2012, the Donald MacRae House was
dedicated as the Ann Moore Bacon Church House.
“It’s just wonderful to see a church, or any
group, take care of these wonderful structures,”
Johnston says. “I felt honored to be working on
a building that well designed. I felt really quite
privileged. ... The whole project was fascinating
from beginning to end — as we opened it up and
learned more and more.”
St. James Episcopal Church received the David
Brinkley Preservationist of the Year Award from
the Historic Wilmington Foundation in 2012.
At the time of the award presentation, HWF
executive director George Edwards stated the
completion of the MacRae House restoration was
the third most important historic reconstruction
in the city of Wilmington, just two steps behind
New Hanover County’s Historic Courthouse and
Thalian Hall.
Now the house is one of ten historic buildings
open for ticket holders during the HWF’s self-guided
Historic Homes Tour, Saturday, April 13,
1-6 p.m. and Sunday, April 14, 1-5 p.m. Tickets
for members are $15, nonmembers in advance $25
and $30 on tour days. Call (910) 762-2511 or visit
www.historicwilmingtonfoundation.org
Donald MacRae House/
Ann Moore Bacon Church House 1901
25 South Third Street
William A. French House c. 1871
107 South Fourth Street
Freeman-Peters House 1912
1805 Perry Avenue
J. E. Gilliard House 1914
2009 Wrightsville Avenue
J.W. Brooks Building 1920
18 South Water Street, Suite 10
Triyonis House c. 1922
2010 Creecy Avenue
Temple of Israel 1875
1 South Fourth Street
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
Emerson-Kenan Mansion 1907
1705 Market Street
April 13 and 14