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Home of the N.C. Literary Hall of Fame

The North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame honors the state’s rich literary heritage.

In ceremonies held at Weymouth Center May 18, 1996, fifteen North Carolinians were inducted into the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame, honoring their contributions to the rich literary heritage of the state. The first inductees included James Boyd, Paul Green, Bernice Kelly Harris, O. Henry, and Thomas Wolfe, among other notable North Carolina authors.

The Hall of Fame is located in the Boyd Room, the former study of James Boyd, with displays of plaques, pictures, books and other memorabilia. This study was once the literary gathering place that Jonathan Daniels declared “launched the Southern Literary Renaissance” in the 1920s and 30s.

The North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame realizes a dream of the late Sam Ragan, Poet Laureate of North Carolina (1982-1996).

It was authorized by joint resolution of the General Assembly in 1993 and formally established by a grant from the NC Department of Cultural Resources for the North Carolina Writers’ Network, an organization serving writers and readers across the state.

In the spirit of those who over the centuries have graced North Carolina with literature of such quality, beauty and power, the North Carolina Literary Hall of Fame proudly honors writers who have achieved enduring stature in their devotion to their writing and to their state.

James Boyd used this enlarged study (part of the 1932 addition) for “writing.” While standing in front of the middle window (with built-in ledge) James Boyd was able to keep an eye on the stable and kennels while he dictated his books and stories to a secretary or a Dictaphone. He enjoyed writing he said, but the horses and hounds were his passion!

Established by the N.C. Council of the Humanities as a place to honor gifted N.C. writers and poets, the N.C. Literary Hall of Fame inducts new members biennially at Weymouth. Jonathan Daniels thought the location was appropriate because this gathering place had “launched the Southern Literary Renaissance.” It celebrates not only contemporary literature but also the proud and diverse past that informs and nurtures the writers of today and tomorrow.

Weymouth’s mission closely follows Katharine Boyd’s wish that the estate become “a place where writers and artists could gather and work, where men and women could explore new thought, and where sparks of creativity could be struck, as they had when it was her home.”

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