NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1979 SESSION

CHAPTER 1035
HOUSE BILL 535

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE PRESERVATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE GROVE (BLOUNT HOUSE) IN TARBORO FOR USE AS AN ART GALLERY AND ARTS EDUCATIONAL CENTER.

Whereas, The Grove was constructed in Tarboro in 1808 by General Thomas Blount and is a fine example of North Carolina federal architecture; and
Whereas, General Thomas Blount served in the Revolutionary War, was a member of the North Carolina Senate, and served North Carolina in the United States House of Representatives for 11 years; and
Whereas, Hobson Pittman, a native of Tarboro, achieved national acclaim as one of the foremost American impressionist artists; and
Whereas, the estate of the late Hobson Pittman has donated to the Town of Tarboro approximately $325,000 worth of Pittman's artwork, furniture, and personal memorabilia on the condition that the town provide a suitable gallery for such artwork; and
Whereas, Tarboro is the only community within the State that has been fortunate enough to be able to obtain Pittman's artwork, which is being actively sought by several organizations outside the State; and
Whereas, it is appropriate that an appropriate gallery should be established in order to fulfill the Pittman bequest and to procure these valuable art treasures for all North Carolinians; and
Whereas, the Town of Tarboro plans to preserve and adaptively reuse The Grove (Blount House) as a gallery for Pittman's artwork, and has obtained planning grants for the project from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and from the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service, and has contracted with an architect to prepare the necessary plans and specifications; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources, for the 1979-80 fiscal year the sum of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) which will be available to the Town of Tarboro for the purpose of rehabilitation, to include a phased program of (1) research, (2) planning, and (3) rehabilitation of The Grove, provided an amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) is raised by the Town of Tarboro. Funds appropriated in this act shall be expended only in accordance with G.S. 121-11 and G.S. 143-31.2.
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.