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Treasures from Morehead family find their way back home to Greensboro's Blandwood mansion

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A Lee Enterprises, Incorporated newspaper. Majority shareholder: David Hoffmann, Hoffmann Media Group.

Treasures from Morehead family find their way back home to Greensboro's Blandwood mansion

1 of 17

Morehead Donations

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer poses for a photo with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro on Thursday. The pianoforte, which had belonged to the Morehead family, was recently restored.

Morehead Donations

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood. Morehead is a former governor of North Carolina.

An embroidery piece by Morehead’s wife hangs in the ladies parlor of Blandwood.

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

A mixing table in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Three labels helped confirmed that it was, indeed, the pianoforte John Morehead bought for his daughters. One was “Ann M” (above), written on the wood inside the piano. Ann was one of Morehead’s daughters, and she was born the year the piano was purchased — 1827.

The second of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood. The series of four paintings, by a Greensboro artist, William Frerichs, came to the museum in February. They were copied from the Voyage of Life series, by Hudson River artist Thomas Cole, that was hugely popular in the 1840s.

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood mansion.

The third of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer stands with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro. The pianoforte, which was recently restored, is the one that Blandwood’s former owner, John Motley Morehead, bought for his daughters in 1827.

Docent Gail Williams leads a group of children from Sunshine House day care on a tour of Blandwood.

The first of four in the "The Voyage of Life" series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead's time.

The last of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Landon Kraft and Marshall Spainhour from Sunshine House daycare take a break while touring the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

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By Teresa Prout Special to the News & Record

When she first saw the piano, it was a mess, left to languish in the Greensboro History Museum warehouse.

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People are also reading…

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Photos: Donations to Blandwood mansion

Morehead Donations

The third of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood. Morehead is a former governor of North Carolina.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

An embroidery piece by Morehead’s wife hangs in the ladies parlor of Blandwood.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

A mixing table in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

Woody Marshall/News & Record/

Morehead Donations

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

Three labels helped confirmed that it was, indeed, the pianoforte John Morehead bought for his daughters. One was “Ann M” (above), written on the wood inside the piano. Ann was one of Morehead’s daughters, and she was born the year the piano was purchased — 1827.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

The second of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood. The series of four paintings, by a Greensboro artist, William Frerichs, came to the museum in February. They were copied from the Voyage of Life series, by Hudson River artist Thomas Cole, that was hugely popular in the 1840s.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer poses for a photo with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro on Thursday. The pianoforte, which had belonged to the Morehead family, was recently restored.

Photos by Woody Marshall/BH Media

Morehead Donations

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood mansion.

Photos by Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

The first of four in the "The Voyage of Life" series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead's time.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer stands with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro. The pianoforte, which was recently restored, is the one that Blandwood’s former owner, John Motley Morehead, bought for his daughters in 1827.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

Docent Gail Williams leads a group of children from Sunshine House day care on a tour of Blandwood.

Photos by Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

The last of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Woody Marshall/News & Record

Morehead Donations

Landon Kraft and Marshall Spainhour from Sunshine House daycare take a break while touring the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

Woody Marshall/News & Record/

About Blandwood

Guided tours of the house, at 447 West Washington St. in downtown Greensboro, are offered from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors or for members of a group of 10 or more; and $5 for children under 12.

Farmer Charles Bland built a four-room Federal-style house on the site of Blandwood in 1795. A Greensboro businessman added two rooms to the house in 1822. John Motley Morehead bought Blandwood in 1827 and hired prominent New York architect A.J. Davis to expand it in the 1840s. The result - with its with its tower and stucco walls - is the oldest surviving Italianate structure in the country.

Blandwood is operated by Preservation Greensboro and was chosen as a National Historic Landmark in 1988.

Want to hear the pianoforte?

A limited number of guests can hear UNCG professor and historical pianist Andrew Willis and two of his students, Stephanie Schmidt and Robin Morace, perform on the Morehead pianoforte in the East Parlor at Blandwood.

The concert is from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. July 31. Tickets are $75. Contact Preservation Greensboro for details at 336-272-5003.

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Morehead Donations

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer poses for a photo with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro on Thursday. The pianoforte, which had belonged to the Morehead family, was recently restored.

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood. Morehead is a former governor of North Carolina.

An embroidery piece by Morehead’s wife hangs in the ladies parlor of Blandwood.

A portrait of Morehead hangs in the law office of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

A mixing table in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Three labels helped confirmed that it was, indeed, the pianoforte John Morehead bought for his daughters. One was “Ann M” (above), written on the wood inside the piano. Ann was one of Morehead’s daughters, and she was born the year the piano was purchased — 1827.

The second of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood. The series of four paintings, by a Greensboro artist, William Frerichs, came to the museum in February. They were copied from the Voyage of Life series, by Hudson River artist Thomas Cole, that was hugely popular in the 1840s.

The pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. The pianoforte was recently restored.

A detail in one of the “The Voyage of Life” paintings in a series of four that hang in the West Parlor of Blandwood mansion.

The third of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Judith Z. Cushman Hammer stands with the pianoforte at the Blandwood mansion in Greensboro. The pianoforte, which was recently restored, is the one that Blandwood’s former owner, John Motley Morehead, bought for his daughters in 1827.

Docent Gail Williams leads a group of children from Sunshine House day care on a tour of Blandwood.

The first of four in the "The Voyage of Life" series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead's time.

The last of four in the “The Voyage of Life” series of paintings that hang in the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019. They are copies of a very popular series and they were done by a Greensboro artist and given to the president of Greensboro College, who gave them to Morehead. Benjamin has a photo showing them hanging in the room during Morehead’s time.

Landon Kraft and Marshall Spainhour from Sunshine House daycare take a break while touring the west parlor of Blandwood in Greensboro, N.C., on Thursday, July 18, 2019.

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