NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1977 SESSION

CHAPTER 1053
HOUSE BILL 553

AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE PRESERVATION OF "RICHMOND HILL LAW SCHOOL" IN YADKIN COUNTY.

Whereas, Richmond Mumford Pearson was one of the great legal minds produced in North Carolina, serving on the bench longer than any other man in history to that time, as superior court judge from 1837 to 1848, Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court from 1848 to 1858, and Chief Justice of that court from 1858 to 1878; and
Whereas, Judge Pearson established in 1847-48 a law school at his home above the Yadkin River, called "Richmond Hill"; and
Whereas, from 1848 to 1876 Justice Pearson conducted at "Richmond Hill" one of the nation's best known private law schools of the day, educating there three governors, six Supreme Court Justices, more than a dozen superior court judges, three congressmen of the United States, one Confederate congressman, numerous State legislators, and various ambassadors, cabinet officers, and other luminaries; and
Whereas, the building known as "Richmond Hill" has been placed in the charge of the historic Richmond Hill Law School Commission, which with approximately one hundred ten thousand dollars ($110,000) of local, foundation, State, and federal funds has stabilized the structure and is now in the process of restoring and preserving the structure, which has played such an important role in North Carolina's history; and
Whereas, a Bureau of Outdoor Recreation grant of twenty-four thousand dollars ($24,000) has been used to develop the surrounding 24 acres as an historic nature park; and
Whereas, there is a need for funds to complete the restoration of the Richmond Hill Law School; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  There is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Division of Archives and History, Department of Cultural Resources, for the 1977-78 fiscal year the sum of sixteen thousand two hundred dollars ($16,200), fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) of which will be available to the Richmond Hill Law School Commission for the purpose of historical and archaeological research and interior restoration of the Richmond Hill Law School, the remainder of which will be used by the Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, to provide technical services to the Richmond Hill Law School Commission for the project, provided an amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) is raised by the Richmond Hill Law School Commission; and for the 1978-79 fiscal year the sum of sixteen thousand two hundred dollars ($16,200), fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) of which will be available to the Richmond Hill Law School Commission for the purpose of completing the restoration of the Richmond Hill Law School, the remainder of which will be used by the Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, to provide technical services to the Richmond Hill Law School Commission, provided an amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) is raised by the Richmond Hill Law School Commission. Funds appropriated in this act shall be expended only in accordance with G.S. 121-11 and G.S. 143‑31.2.
Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective on July 1, 1977.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 1st day of July, 1977.