Page 15 - MOST RECENT

About 1840 the first change in land ownership out-
side the family occurred. Salome and her husband, Apol-
los Harmon, sold some property on the east side of the
Salisbury Road. That same year John Frederick gave
land on the west side of Salem Road to build a Method.:
ist Church (his wife Nancy was a Methodist). In 1848
the crossroads property, including the inn, which had
been run by Philip, was sold to \Villiam Penn Henly,
formerly of Randolph County. Slowly the family plan-
tation began to take on the appearance of a community.
Other families gradually bought land in the settlement.

Thus by the beginning of the Civil War a real little vil~
lage had gotten under way even if most of the people
were Joseph's children and grandchildren.
The Civil War came and the progress of the village
was retarded. Young men of the community and area
went off to fight in the Confederate Army and some
never returned. In spite of the terrible hardships and pri-
vations of the war and the infamous reconstruction era
the crossroads survived. In 1867 John Frederick again
gave land for another church - a Moravian one this time
Korner's Folly circa 1897 showing Mr. Jule, "Miss Alice"
(he had continued as an active member of the Fried- and children, Dore and Gilmer.
land Moravian Church up to this period).
To do the work on the mura]s and frescoes, Jule Korner hired
Finally the community-village was ready to take an
Caesar Milch, a graduate of the Royal School of Arts in Berlin.
important step. How we wish we knew the details of Milch spent many months on scaffolding, painting the scenes
this act, but how happy we are that at last and at least which still remain.
we have an official date. On March 31, 1871, the vil- The reception room is one of the most outstanding rooms
lage crossroads was incorporated. The four section sta- in the home. The ceiling reaches 25 feet in height. Large statutes
are mounted on the walls and fine furniture from all over the
tute contained the following provisions:
world was placed throughout the room.
The incorporation was approved and the
The Folly's structure is brick, all handmade on the premises
village became the town of Kernersville. and formed in eight different sizes and shapes. It contains 22
The town limits were set, the radius being
rooms and 20 fireplaces. There are 4 full floors and 7 different
three quarters of a mile in all directions from leve1s. The cei1ings range from under 6 feet in height to more
the Old Academy. A brass marker now marks
than 25 feet in height. A unique ventilation system "air con-
the center of the circle. ditions" the entire home in the summer by natural air currents.
The first election for municipal officers and The Korners lived in Korner's Folly until their deaths at
constable was to be held within three months
which time the Folly became a summer home for their daughter's
after the incorporation and held thereafter on family, the Donne1ls of Oak Ridge. The Folly was opened in
the first Monday of May. 1938 to the pubJic, but closed with the advent of World War II.
The incorporation was to take effect upon Since that time Korner's Folly has been used as a funeral home,
ratification. (The date of ratification was March antique shop and residence. In 1970 a group of interested
31, 1871). citizens and family members formed Korner's Folly, Inc., a cor-
poration set up to acquire the Folly through purchase and open
the home to the public once again. Today Korner's Folly may
be toured by the public on Sundays or by appointment.

J

Pl
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After Mr. Jule Korner moved his horses out of the Folly he built
new stables on what is now the parking lot beside the John Wolfe home.
This 1896 picture shows his children, Dore and Gilmer, with John Carr
11 driving "Boy" and "Daisy" in tandem. Later the stables were turned into
apartments and rented until recent years when the building was razed.