2025 Award of Merit: Tarboro

Old Cherry Inn

2025 Main Street Award: Design

Best Historic Rehabilitation Project

• Lance and June Cherry
  

Watch The Award Video

The Old Cherry Inn beautifully bridges Tarboro’s past with its future — a shining example of how historic preservation can fuel economic growth, community pride, and creative entrepreneurship.

The Dozier-Brown House, built around 1859 and believed to be designed by noted architect William Percival, has long stood as a quiet witness to Tarboro’s history. Thanks to the vision and dedication of Lance and June Cherry, this once-underused office space has been reborn as The Old Cherry Inn, a vibrant three-unit short term rental and event venue that’s quickly become a jewel in the heart of downtown.

This $1.5 million renovation was no small feat. It involved meticulous restoration to Secretary of the Interior Standards, including the recreation of original porch spindles, brackets, and the preservation of the home’s rare Palladian window— the only one of its kind in Tarboro. The result is a stunning blend of 19th-century craftsmanship and modern comfort, with six guest suites, original heart pine floors and beautifully landscaped courtyards that now host small events and community gatherings.

But the impact of this project goes far beyond aesthetics. During construction, it supported up to 15 local jobs and kept nearly $1 million circulating in the local economy. Now open, The Old Cherry Inn is projected to generate up to $450,000 annually in local economic activity— through lodging, events, and partnerships with local caterers, artists, and small businesses.

It’s also a gift for Tarboro’s tourism and hospitality sectors. With over 300 room nights expected annually and a growing calendar of events, the Inn is drawing new visitors, supporting local merchants, and relieving the burden on private businesses to provide public amenities.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s a symbol of what’s possible when we invest in our history, believe in our community, and reimagine what our spaces can be.