Recreate a Civil War Era Store

The Director of the North Carolina Division of Historic Sites and Properties contacted me to work out the original floor plan and cabinetry details for the reconstruction of the Civil War era general store. Working closely with the director and his team we were able to determine the most likely plan. 3D floor plans and renderings were created for review and approval. Drawings and floor plans were used to reconstruct counters, shelving and the 1871 general store. Background: North Carolina Division of Historic Sites and Properties acquired the historic N.B. Bratton “Brick” House. The house was a home and also served as the general store. The general store’s proprietor, Confederate veteran Napoleon Bonaparte Bratton, was a dealer in “Dry Goods, Groceries, Hats, Boots, Shoes, Hardware, and Notions.” The Brattonsville Store operated out of the Brick House from the time the building was completed in 1843 until 1885. Around 1885 the store was dismantled, its shelving and counters were removed and used in another location and were subsequently destroyed by fire. Because of its historical significance during and after the Civil War, the building was to be stabilized and restored to its 1871 condition. The Brattonsville Store is recreated in the Brick House’s front room adjacent to the parlor. The room is outfitted with interior finishes, counters, and shelves to portray how the general store looked in 1871. The replicated merchandise in stock are based on the store’s actual receipts and records.