2820 Van Dyke Avenue (The second of a pair of historically-linked houses. 2822 Van Dyke Avenue was the Home of the Month for June)
The home of Rob and Rhonda Moseley since 1994 has been the source of speculation as to its original function. Built in 1930 before Van Dyke Avenue was constructed, the home’s front entrance and interior layout orients to Dixie Trail. The story goes that the property served originally as the “carriage house” for 2822 Van Dyke, which was built in 1916 and also fronted Dixie Trail. Maps and other records have not been found yet to verify the story. Properties still exist along Dixie Trail (500, 510) that feature a long, narrow shape, fronting Dixie Trail. When the Moseleys purchased the home in 1994, the single story had been radically altered and rebuilt to a two story double-tier porch design that favors a Charleston style, with the home’s entrance still facing Dixie Trail. The interior had been gutted to the studs, with only the original pine floors on the first floor and 2nd story landing and some of the kitchen cabinets remaining. There is evidence that the original structure had an addition made to the eastern side on both the first and part of the second story many years earlier, and was where all of the bathrooms were located. Prior to that addition, it is not clear where bathrooms may have been located, adding to speculation of the structure not being a home originally. The home was listed (Section 7, page 183, National Register of Historic Places (2003) -www.hpo.ncdcr.gov) as the “Godfrey H Browne House” and described originally as a “one story, side gabled” house. Godfrey Browne was said to be a chemist.
The Moseleys inherited a failing foundation and raised the structure to replace the entire foundation before proceeding with renovating the interior. In 1996, Hurricane Fran toppled a huge oak tree that was situated where the detached garage is now located. The root ball was almost as large as the footprint of the garage.
The Moseleys are passionate about gardening and are beekeepers.