Our History

Dawn Young purchased the historic Pool-Kennedy-Lumsden-Peters House in November 2025. Throughout her career as a realtor and investor, she has been drawn to properties with stories to tell, and this house captured her heart almost immediately. From the architectural details and craftsmanship inside the home to the magnificent Southern Live Oak gracing the front yard, Dawn was enchanted by both its rich history and its incredible potential. The decision to acquire the property was an easy one. Since then, Dawn has devoted herself to learning everything she can about the home and the generations of families who have called it home. She has begun restoring and thoughtfully renovating areas of the house, refreshing the landscaping, and bringing new life to the property while honoring its historic character. She has also begun introducing the house to the community through a series of events, giving others the opportunity to experience and appreciate this remarkable piece of Elizabeth City history.

Built in 1840 for Lovey Taylor Pool, the widow of prosperous planter and merchant Thomas Pool, the house is considered the most intact of Elizabeth City’s antebellum residences. Designed in the Greek Revival style, the two-and-a-half-story home reflects an era when Elizabeth City was a thriving center of commerce and trade. After her husband’s death, Lovey Pool moved from the family plantation to town and continued his successful business shipping staves and timber to West Indies. A warehouse once stood behind the house, connecting the property directly to the commercial life of the community.

Over the decades, the home has passed through the Pool, Kennedy, Lumsden, and Peters families, each leaving a chapter in its story. Among its notable residents was Dr. William J. Lumsden, one of Elizabeth City’s leading citizens, who practiced medicine for more than forty years. The house retains an extraordinary collection of architectural details, including its spacious central hall, elegant staircase, delicate square balusters, double parlors joined by an impressive pocket door, interior-end chimneys, rear porches, and original two-story wing. A number of features from the earlier Pool plantation house, including a Federal mantel, five-panel doors, historic hinges, and lock boxes, were incorporated into the residence further connecting the home to its earliest history.

The property’s history extends beyond the residence itself. At the front corner of the lot stands the one-and-a-half story brick doctor’s office built by Dr. Lumsden in 1895, where he and later members of the Peters family maintained their practices. Together, the house and office offer a rare glimpse into Elizabth City’s architectural, professional, and commercial past. For Dawn, owning the Pool-Kennedy-Lumsden-Peters House is more than an investment in real estate. It is an opportunity to honor the craftsmanship of the past, preserve a remarkable piece of local history, and become a steward of a property that has connected generations of families to the story of Elizabeth City. She looks forward to opening the Pool-Kennedy-Lumsden-Peters House to the community, creating opportunities for others to experience its history, appreciate its architecture, and gather together for meaningful events and special occasions.