TARBORO —
Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, N.H., and Edgecombe Community College are worlds apart, but thanks to Benjamin Curran, they’re linked by the planet’s rising sea level.
Curran, a historic preservation instructor at the college, was recently awarded a $15,000 grant to study climate change on coastal cultural heritage sites.
“I’m looking at the ramifications in particular that the rising sea level has on structures and also buried archaeology,” he says. “What I bring to the table is historic preservation.”
The National Geographic Society Waitt grant was awarded to Curran and Michael Rothier and Gopal Mulukutla, two research scientists at the University of New Hampshire’s Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space.
About 150 grants already have been awarded for projects on six continents – from Mongolia to Mexico.
Curran developed his idea about three years ago while working on a University of New Hampshire historic registry project at a 19th-century fort along the New Hampshire coastline. A Plymouth State University graduate student at the time, Curran noticed how dramatically seawater was deteriorating concrete at the site.
“I started thinking about what will happen to other historic sites in close proximity to the coast as the sea level rises,” he says.
So, he applied for the grant with his eyes on Strawberry Banke, a 10-acre historic district inside a coastal community established in the late 1600s. The grant money will be used for travel and to establish water level data sites in Strawberry Banke to monitor how the rising sea levels affect the centuries-old buildings there.
“Storm surges give you an idea what will happen long term,” Curran says.
An International Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program study in May predicted a rise in sea levels of 35 to 63 inches by 2100. And as levels rise, saltwater is pushed further inland, causing a mixture of freshwater and saltwater to rise higher in the ground, thus affecting structures along the coast.
“Saltwater is very corrosive, and most foundations of older structures are made of stone and mortar,” Curran says. “The big question is not how do we save everything, but what do we save.”
Curran’s vision of the project doesn’t end with Strawberry Banke. In fact, once he arrived at Edgecombe Community College six months ago, he found more opportunities to study the effects of the deterioration of historic buildings right on campus.
The Norfleet House, a 200-year-old structure moved to the college in 2009, enables historic preservation students at the college to have hands-on experience in restoring an old structure. For Curran, it was a chance to see what he calls the “pathology” of a building.
He likens what he does to a medical examiner who studies the affects of external forces on a human body. But instead of looking at internal organs, arteries, veins, and skin, Curran looks at wood siding, plumbing, electrical systems and foundations.
“The Norfleet House is the perfect place for me to further my understanding of the deterioration of building materials,” he says.
His long-term plan is to develop a model for other researchers to use so that more sites around the world can be studied. After the Strawberry Banke study is completed, he wants to move his research to the Yucatan Peninsula to look at Mayan ruins. After that, Edenton, Bath, or New Bern in North Carolina could be a good fit, he says.
“The nice thing about this project is that no one has done anything like it in the United States,” Curran adds. “The only others who have done this are in Europe.”
Homepage
Related Photos
-
Benjamin Curran, a historic preservation instructor at Edgecombe Community College, has received a grant from the National Geographic Society to study the impact of climate change on coastal cultural heritage sites. Photo/Submitted
ECC Instructor Receives National Geographic Grant
- Homepage
-
-
ECPS awaits county budget decision
In 10 days, the Edgecombe County Board of Commissioners could approve its 2013-2014 budget. Because of the proposed cuts to the Edgecombe County Public School (ECPS), there officials are likely waiting nervously for the results.
During the board's June 3 regularly scheduled meeting, officials of the ECPS made pleas during a public hearing by asking the board of commissioners to rethink the proposed budget cuts. - Firemen concerned about town's faulty fire hydrants
- Conetoe storm destroys mobile home, damages 3 houses
-
ECPS awaits county budget decision
- Local News
-
-
AIB judging under way
The America in Bloom (AIB) judges are in town, and Tarboro’s AIB committee rolled out the red carpet for them, beginning with Sunday supper at the home of AIB committee member Candis Owens.
“I am really excited about these judges,” Owens said “It looks like they have been selected specifically for Tarboro, because they’re both historic preservationists.”
James R. “Jim” Abraham is a professor of historic preservation at the Savannah College of Art and Design, while Ed Hooker, III is the historic architect and cultural resource manager for Fort Riley, Kan., according to the judges’ biography. - Brother, sister offer relief from the heat
-
AIB judging under way
- Sports
-
Trey Wells throws a pitch in the fifth inning Friday night for Tarboro in the 15-under game against SouthWest.
-
Tarboro beats SouthWest 16-11
Tarboro and SouthWest battled it out Friday night in the 15-under Nash County Babe Ruth League at Municipal Stadium. It was a game that included 30 walks, 13 errors and 27 runs scored. Tarboro was able to hold on and win 16-11.
SouthWest, who is winless this year, fought back time and time again and took advantage of 18 walks and the six errors Tarboro committed. SouthWest has a team filled with 13 and 14-year olds playing against older players. They were able to hold their own though and take advantage of different situations. - Jones, Pittman starting new semi-pro team in Tarboro
-
Tarboro beats SouthWest 16-11
- Opinion
-
-
You, too, can be a slacker spy
Think you're a loser just because you dropped out of high school and never finished the military training you began?
Think you're a dud just because you work as a security guard even though you dreamed of becoming a global savior?
Well, don't beat yourself up. You, too, can become an international superspy like Edward Snowden.
-
You, too, can be a slacker spy
- Lifestyles
-
-
Whitley/Webb
Pinetops-Caitlin Layne Whitley and John Robert Webb were married on June 8, 2013 at half past three in the afternoon at Pinetops Baptist Church.
The Reverend John Melancon performed the ceremony. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Michael Whitley. Grandparents of the bride are the late Mr. and Mrs. James Carlton Jernigan and the late Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Lane Whitley.
-
- Obituaries Archives
-
-
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
To the Editor:
It breaks my heart to look at the puppies and kittens at the Tarboro Animal Shelter pictured in Monday’s editions of the Daily Southerner. June is National Adopt a Shelter Pet Month, and I pray these fur babies will find a good forever home. Bucking a statewide and national trend, the kittens have a better chance of getting adopted than the puppies. Why? - JAMES CLEO JORDAN
- BARBARA ANN LINDSAY
- ROSA BELL BYNUM
- ANN D. COBB
-
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
- Food
-
-
Zesty Mexican Meals Made Fast
Flavors from south of the border are always a crowd favorite. They're also a quick, easy way to get dinner on the table in a hurry. Celebrity chef AarÛn S·nchez shares his favorite weeknight recipes, which use easy, flavorful ingredients to get families out of the kitchen and at the table in record time. "As a chef with a young family, I love creating delicious dishes that are quick and easy to prepare," S·nchez said. "My new Ortega recipes bring that flavor and simplicity together. Enjoy."
- It's grillin' time!
- Great fondue
- Budget Friendly Deliciousness
-
- Events
-
-
Edgecombe Events June 17
Edgecombe Events should be submitted by noon the day before publication. Items eligible include notices of local meetings and activities of non-profit organizations, clubs, schools and civic groups in the community. Information should be brief and typewritten, neatly printed or via e-mail. Questions? 823-3106 or e-mail: events@dailysoutherner.com. Leave a daytime contact phone number.
-
Edgecombe Events June 17
- Our Community
-
-
WALTON EARNS SCHOLARSHIP
John Ronald Walton, a 2013 graduate of Edgecombe Early College High School and son of John and Lesa Walton, is presented a $2,000 scholarship check by Edgecomber County Farm Bureau Presidet Tom Proter. Walton is enrolled at NC State University for the fall semester.
- Edgecombe County Public Schools announces 2013-2014 teachers of the year
-
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Raw: Obama Arrives in Berlin
3 Charged in Ohio With Enslaving Mom, Daughter
Obama Seeks G-8 Support on Syria
Raw: Volcano Erupts Near Mexico City
Kid Couture: Spending Big Bucks on Babies
Suicide Bombs Target Baghdad Mosque, Killing 29
Military Plans to Put Women in Combat Jobs
Solar Power Chargers in NYC Parks
Civil Rights Groups Sue NYPD Over Muslim Spying
Raw: First Lady, Daughters Enjoy Irish Sights
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
NYC 911 Call Lasts for 8 Hours
