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 Abe Visits: Actor who depicts Lincoln tells a few stories at Korner's Folly - by Monica Young - July 14, 2009
KERNERSVILLE - Abraham Lincoln came to Korner's Folly in Kernersville last weekend, courtesy of actor Peter Holland.
Holland, depicting Lincoln as he was in November 1863, four months after Gettysburg, used research and Lincoln's writings to portray his life and mannerisms.
Dressed in period costume with a similar hairstyle, Holland seemed to closely resemble the nation's 16th president. As he performed, the lighting cast a tall shadow on the angled ceiling walls of Körner's Folly.
The show began with Lincoln rooting around in his hat for important pieces of paper that he called "raisins." Each paper reminded him of a story. Holland, in character, explained that Lincoln kept important documents in his tall top hat when he was an attorney in Illinois.
Most of the facts were woven into humorous stories, a device that Lincoln was famous for using and one that often frustrated his foes. The show lasted an hour, with an opening of three time-relevant spirituals sung by Holland's wife and partner, Christina Holland. The Hollands, who live in Virginia and run drama camps in Mount Airy, travel during the year with shows on Abraham Lincoln.
Holland performed Friday and Saturday evening.
Korner's Folly's executive director, Bruce Frankel, said he hopes to continue to expand performances in Cupid's Park, which is believed to be America's first in-home private theater. In 1896, the Juvenile Lyceum was formed to encourage Kernersville children to become interested in theatrical arts.
"I think this is great that Bruce is bringing performing arts back to this space," Peter Holland told the audience at the end of the performance.
"When (the Juvenile Lyceum) did theater here, it reflected current times. Live theater was offered when there was no other way to get the experience," Frankel said.
Faye Collins traveled to Kernersville from Greensboro to watch the show.
"As soon as I heard about it, I called to get tickets. I haven't been to the Folly in several years even though I've always been intrigued by it,'' Collins said. "I was delighted by the performance and hope there are more like it."
■ Monica Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com.
■ The next event in the Cupid's Park room at Körner's Folly will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. when evidence of a recent paranormal investigation of the Folly will be revealed by the Southern Paranormal and Anomaly Research Society. More information about Korner's Folly is available at www.kornersfolly.com or from Frankel at 996-7922.
Ghost hunters employ technology, skepticism - Sunday, June 14, 2009
 By Robert C. Lopez - Staff Writer - Accompanying Photos, Joseph Rodriguez (News & Record) -
Photo Caption: A paranormal themed sticker on a member's toolbox.
Melinda Waldrup takes a seat on the floor of the maid's quarters at Körner's Folly in Kernersville. She speaks into her tape recorder, noting the time: 9:15 p.m.
The lights go out. In the next room Caroline Rogers asks, "Is anybody with us tonight?"
A few seconds later, Waldrup chimes in.
"What was your life like here?"
Some ice in a cooler trickles down. An air conditioner hums. And Rogers thinks she hears some kids playing.
But there are no kids around.
Rogers and Waldrup are members of the Southern Paranormal and Anomaly Research Society, which recently extended its reach into the Piedmont Triad.
The group is affiliated with The Atlantic Paranormal Society of the Sci Fi Channel series "Ghost Hunters." Its Carolinas chapter has about 30 investigators, a half-dozen of whom reside in the Triad. They study alleged ghostly activities armed with audio recorders, infrared cameras, thermometers, electromagnetic field detectors and various other types of probes.
"People that watch a lot of TV get this idea that it's sort of just fun and games," said investigator Deonna Kelli Sayed of Greensboro. "But it's really a lot of work. Most of the time you're just waiting. You don't experience any activity. It's tedious. ... But it's really cool when you go somewhere and you ask somebody to knock, and something knocks back."
Ghost hunters, not ghostbusters
Sayed and other members of SPARS want people to know that they are not ghostbusters. They cannot and will not promise to rid a property of any stray poltergeists.
They do not perform seances. They don't claim to be psychics. And they do not run around screaming, "Run, dude!" or "Let's get out of here!"
But they do encourage a good degree of skepticism.
"When we go into a place, we don't assume it's haunted," Sayed said. "We actually assume it's not haunted, and we try to find explanations for what people would call paranormal activity. And if we're left with something we can't explain, we will say, 'This is possibly paranormal.' "
"Ghost Hunters," which follows Rhode Island plumbers Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson as they investigate ghostly happenings in their free time, has sparked a great deal of interest in paranormal detective work. SPARS co-founder Paula Hayes said she fields many calls from people who mistakenly believe they'll be on the show if they take part in an investigation.
Still, what SPARS investigators do is similar to what's seen on the show. They use much of the same type of equipment and techniques. They ask questions of any spirits that may be on the premises. And they spend a great deal of time watching live circuit feeds on their laptops.
What many viewers may not understand from watching the show, Rogers said, is that the investigations typically run eight to 10 hours. The hour-long episodes contain only the most exciting bits of an investigation.
"Many nights you're just sitting there in the dark, talking to yourself," she said. "So, you lose a lot of people that way. Those people are in it for the wrong reasons. They expect the hype. They expect to go and get something every time."
Wanting to reach out
Diana Logan, a 52-year-old hairdresser from Greensboro, got interested in the paranormal about 10 years ago after her son died in a car accident.
"I started wanting to reach out," she said. "It gives me comfort and a sense of satisfaction when we do catch something that might be from the other side."
Hayes said many investigators have experienced what they believe to be some sort of paranormal activity in their own lives, whether it be in the form of strange noises around their homes or a message from a deceased relative.
"Some people, they get into this more or less because they have questions about whether there really is life after death," she said. "Some people get into it because of the thrill of it, the excitement. Some people get in it for the scientific end of it. The debunking end. What causes this, what causes that?"
SPARS is made up of a diverse group, including Baptists, Muslims and Wiccans. Most members have full-time jobs, and some have been performing paranormal investigations as a hobby for years.
"We have teachers, we have scientists, we have computer people, we have medical personnel, we have historians, we even have people with legal backgrounds," Hayes said. "We teach each other. We have some that are stronger in some areas than others as far as knowledge of science or history or technical issues or whatever."
SPARS' Carolinas Chapter is based out of Greenville, S.C. The organization moved into the Triad last year when it absorbed a local group, Greensboro Paranormal Investigations.
Before investigating a building, the group will typically conduct a one-on-one interview with the owner to find out what's going on. They make note of anything that might be a hazard in the dark, as well as fuse boxes, appliances and other objects that might give off an electromagnetic field that can throw off their instruments. They also research the property's history.
The group doesn't charge to conduct an investigation, and many members use and share their own equipment.
The world's strangest house
The SPARS investigators gathered at Körner's Folly during Memorial Day weekend. Setup takes several hours, as investigators run extension cords and place cameras throughout the house.
Built from 1878 to 1880 by artist and interior decorator Jule Gilmer Körner, the place dubs itself "the strangest house in the world." It has 22 rooms on seven levels, and an eccentric layout with narrow passageways and ceilings as low as six feet. Körner (pronounced Kerner) used the home as a showcase for his business, so each room has a different design.
SPARS investigator Iris Carter of Summerfield said she'd always been curious about the home, and the group approached the house's executive director Bruce Frankel about checking it out.
"I was a little surprised, but they were very professional when they called," Frankel said. "They didn't take this lightly, so I thought it was worth talking to them. They came, walked through the house and decided that it was worthy of investigation."
Outside, the porch is strewn with tackleboxes, clip boards and tote bags. Group members have a sense of humor about what they do. One instrument is labeled "The Ghost Meter." A bumper sticker reads "When Staying Dead Is Hard to Do." One investigator, who is also a pastry chef, prepared a big ghost-shaped cake.
About 9 p.m., they break into four teams, each stationed in a different part of the house and the maid's quarters.
Investigators turn out the lights and ask questions such as "What is your name?"; "Where are you from?"; and "If there is anybody in here, can you knock on the wall?" They hope to elicit a response in the form of electronic voice phenomena, faint speechlike sounds usually nestled in the background noise on their recordings. (Hayes said analog cassette recorders work well for this task, as they don't filter out the noise.) They also use geophones, which can detect vibrations.
After about a half-hour of sitting in the maid's quarters, Waldrup orders the lights turned back on. The investigators walk outside to see if they can find an explanation for what they heard. Behind the Körner property is a house with a large backyard but no children in sight.
Later on, Waldrup goes into the Körner sewing room. She thinks she hears something and then goes to check it out. The LEDs on her EMF (electromagnetic field) detector start pulsating.
She steps forward. It stops, but then a few seconds later it starts again.
"Look at it, it's like a heartbeat," she said.
After about a minute, it dies out.
The group will spend several weeks listening to the recordings and poring over the data, after which they will meet with Frankel to reveal any findings.
For his part, Frankel says he has never experienced anything out of the ordinary inside the house, but staff members through the years have reported hearing unusual sounds inside. Much of that, though, can be chalked up to wind blowing through or bats, Frankel said. Still, he said he's looking forward to seeing the results of the investigation.
And staff members said that regardless of what the SPARS detectives come up with, they'd still be leery of spending a night inside the place.
"I've never seen anything," Kelli Landing, an office intern at Körner's Folly, said. "But the house is so big. If I were in there by myself and something popped out, I'd come flying out."
Former Director of Körner's Folly Marries a Körner, Passes Baton to New Guy
WS Journal Article - Monica Young - June 4, 2009
Bruce Frankel, the new director, poses in what he hopes to bill as a corporate meeting room at Körner's Folly. Frankel has 15 years in the travel and hospitality business.
KERNERSVILLE -- Connie Martin's run as executive director of Körner's Folly ended after six years in storybook fashion.
Her work at the Folly introduced her to Jule Körner IV, the great grandson of Jule Gilmer Körner, the man who built what is billed as "the strangest house in the world.''
Love blossomed, and the couple was married, with Connie Martin Körner moving to live with Jule Körner, the last living descendant to bear the family name, outside of Washington.
Martin Körner, 53, who had lived in Kernersville all of her life, said her goal in leading Körner's Folly had been to make the attraction more widely known.
"I wanted to bring life into the Folly," said Martin Körner, who added that she never expected her job to bring her love, too.
She has passed the Körner's Folly baton to Bruce Frankel, whose 15 years in the travel and hospitality business -- he owns an online travel agency -- give him a good foundation for running the Folly. He said he's visited landmarks famous and obscure in his years in the travel business.
Frankel said he looks forward to building on Connie Martin Körner's work.
"At first the Folly was about the family who lived here. Then it was about giving to the community,'' he said. "While it does represent the strengths of the people who lived here, now it isn't just about the house. It's about the cultural and artistic aspects of its history, areas usually not given the attention they deserve."
Garnering attention is exactly how Frankel said he plans to tackle the next level of the Körner Folly's development. Since coming onboard April 20, Frankel has launched an aggressive volunteer recruiting campaign.
"Körner's Folly is Kernersville. If it is going to continue to succeed, it must be integrated into the town," he said.
Körner's Folly, completed in 1880, consists of 22 rooms on three floors and seven levels. Jule Gilmer Körner was an interior designer, decorator and painter. He achieved fortune and fame by painting Bull Durham bulls on buildings and advertisements throughout the United States. His home in Kernersville became an outlet for his creative passion.
The top floor became America's first in-home theater and is still used today for occasional productions.
To help integrate, Frankel is creating a pamphlet for visitors that gives them lists of area restaurants. Frankel is targeting area churches and civic groups to use the Folly for meeting space. He hopes to expand the theater to include poetry readings, story telling, recitals and even chess or board game tournaments.
"This place calls for social gatherings," Frankel said recently while gesturing to the ornate ballroom's spacious elegance as he gave a tour. He plans to target groups looking for corporate meeting spaces. Tours will continue Thursdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment.
Although Frankel calls recruiting volunteers his first challenge, his second, he said, will be the restoration needs that have long plagued the historic home. The cost to maintain the Folly is enormous, an endeavor that began when it was rescued from neglect and vandalism in 1970 by a group of citizens committed to its preservation.
"The quality and integrity that it has now is a tribute to the Körner family, and thought behind it that has been done so far. I look at this job as an honor as well as a responsibility and don't want to fail," Frankel said.
Long-time Körner's Folly activist and volunteer Bobbie Wolfe is pleased with Frankel's vision.
"I have found him very enthusiastic about any idea, whether we've tried something in the past or we have an idea for the future,'' Wolfe said. "He is just so appreciative for help. He is jumping in feet first and running."
Using his business background in travel, Frankel is enhancing the Folly Web site. He has created five different language buttons to encourage foreign travel. An e-newsletter will communicate Folly news as well as help with a database Frankel is creating with the help of Kelli Landing, an intern from UNC Chapel Hill.
"This is more than just a landmark. It's a museum. People hear about Körner's Folly and see it from the outside. They don't think about the inside and its furnishings, art, interior design and the history behind all of it. I love giving tours and seeing how people of all ages relate to the house," Frankel said. "People go up and down Main Street. Maybe they've traveled it for 30 years and never been in. Our goal is to get everyone to come in through that door."
Monica Young can be reached at cyoung9@triad.rr.com.
"Dark Things from the Shutter
Box" returns to Körner's Folly
- All sales go directly to assist with structural renovations
- 7th generation descendant to perform in "Cupid's Park" theater
Saturdays, October 6, 13, 20, 27, 2007 - 7PM
Throughout October the strangest house
in America will be hosting one of the strangest shows.
“Dark Things from the Shutter Box” is the creation of
Charles F Kerner, a relative (1st cousin, 5 generations
removed) of the builder of Körner’s Folly, Jule Gilmer
Körner. Those who would confuse these performances to
be comparable to the ubiquitous ‘haunted houses’ that
spring up this time of year will be thoroughly unprepared
for what will take place. What will be experienced is
an intelligent and sophisticated exploration of the arcane
magical arts.
Dusk was already approaching as the door opened in invitation
to the evenings guests. The soft lighting gives the impression
that the foyer is still being lit by candlelight as it
was when the house was built in 1880. Elegantly dressed
hostesses greet you and direct you into an adjoining room
where wine is served while you are introduced to the other
guests for that evening. Socializing is encouraged since
before the night is over the group may be grateful to
have safety in numbers.
Born on Halloween 1953, Charles believed as a child that
everyone was dressed in costumes and stopping at his door
to help him celebrate his birthday. This giving of treats
to visitors led to his belief that he was to give gifts
to others on this special day rather than receive them.
Although Charles soon learned that this was not the case,
he never lost the feeling that giving on his birthday
was more pleasurable that receiving. In 2006 Charles approached
a long time friend, Connie Martin, who is the director
of the Körner’s Folly Foundation and proposed an event
to raise money for the continuing restoration of the Folly.
He would perform a magical play as a gift to the Folly
Foundation. A trial run of Saturday evening shows were
given in March of 2007 and the success of those shows
prompted an invitation to recreate those same proceedings
the following October.
The wine social is drawn to a close by an attractive hostess
who directs the guests upstairs where the performance
will begin. It is a large room with a high ceiling. Some
of the intricately carved furniture so large that they
required assemble inside the room from where they could
then never be removed. Music evokes just the right mood
for the gathering as the beginning of the show is announced.
Charles walks into the room and begins the performance.
Charles developed an interest in magic while in his teens.
Not the evil ritual type but the genteel art of sleight-of-hand,
legerdemain and illusion. So over the next few decades
he became quite the academic magician. He studied and
practiced the arcane art diligently and meticulously with
no real performances (with rare exceptions) being given
other than to show a few parlor tricks to his close friends
at social gatherings. It’s been told that some people
attended these events just to see what miniature miracle
Charles had come up with this time.
The performance having been concluded the now spellbound
group is invited to partake in a wine and cheese reception
with the magician. Such phrases as ‘heart stopping’, ‘mystifying
and ‘utterly amazing’ are not uncommon. As an added bonus
the participants are allowed to roam the house at will
and examine this unique home in more detail. Just reading
the placards within each room can easily fill another
hour. By the time each guest leaves there is no doubt
that they have had a most singular and remarkable experience.
(More
info HERE)
Körner's Folly Kicks Off
Annual Fundraising Campaign
- Folly raises funds to assist with structural renovations
- Local financial support sought for Kernersville landmark
The Korner's Folly Foundation kicked off
its annual fundraising campaign on Monday, April 9, 2007
with a goal to raise money in part to support much-needed
structural repairs. The campaign has been developed in
place of Körner's Folly's typical annual membership
drive due to a heightened need for financial support.
"The house is in need of considerable repairs to
the foundation and flooring system in order to maintain
its present state for future generations to enjoy,"
says Director Connie Martin. "We are still in the
process of assessing specific costs for these repairs,
but it's safe to say that short-term restoration costs
will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars."
(More info HERE)
"Reader's Theater"
Körner's Folly currently has a curriculum program
devoted to teaching the history of the Folly to first
and third graders. First graders from Sedge Garden Elementary
School and third graders from Piney Grove Elementary School
regularly visit and participate in readings and skits.
The Körner's Folly Foundation Partners with Target
for Sponsorship of the Reader's Theater at Körner's
Folly
 Kernersville,
NC - September 11, 2006 - The Körner's Folly Foundation
today announced a partnership with Target for sponsorship
of its 3rd Grade Readers Theater program. This educational
program offers a unique historical learning experience
through interactive role playing by 3rd grade students
portraying local historical figures in the original surroundings
where their lives and events made history.
"The Körner's Folly Foundation is grateful
to Target for their generosity and community interest.
We are honored to have the opportunity to partner with
Target, enabling us to enhance our Readers Theater program
and give to our school children an unforgettable learning
experience." (Connie Martin, Director Körner's
Folly Foundation)
This sponsorship is part of the ongoing support Target
provides to local communities throughout the country.
Every week Target gives more than $2 million to strengthen
families and communities across the nation, with a focus
on education, the arts, social services and other vital
community partnerships.
"At Target, we are making a real difference every
day through our sponsorship program," said Laysha
Ward, vice president, community relations, Target. "We're
proud to partner with the Körner's Folly Foundation
as part of our ongoing commitment to give back to the
communities where our guests and team members live and
work."
Additionally, Target also gives back through signature
programs that are designed to inspire learning in children
and families. Programs include:
Take Charge of Education®, a school fundraising
program;
Ready. Sit. Read!, a program dedicated to fostering
a life-long love of reading in children;
Start Something®, a partnership between Target
and the Tiger Woods Foundation, which helps kids build
core values;
Target House, which serves as a home-away-from-home
for families of children receiving life-saving treatment
at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis;
and
Target Volunteers, team members and retirees who annually
donate more than 315,000 hours of time to more than
7,000 community-based projects
About Körner's Folly
Körner's Folly is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Built in 1880, it was the showcase
home of decorator, designer Jule Gilmer Körner. This
historic home offers 22 rooms on seven levels and is crowned
by America's first privately owned theartre. The Körner's
Folly Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization
whose mission is to restore and preserve Körner's
Folly for the education and enjoyment of the public.
About Target
Target gives back more than $2 million a week to its local
communities through grants and special programs. Since
opening its first store in 1962, Target has partnered
with nonprofit organizations, guests and team members
to help meet community needs. Additionally, Target team
members and retirees donate more than 315,000 hours to
more than 7,000 projects each year.
- March 10, 2006
Körner's Folly (413 South Main Street,
Kernersville, 336-996-7922; $6 for adults), 15 minutes
outside Winston-Salem on the way to the airport, is the
22-room former home of Jule Körner, an artist and
architect who painted Bull Durham cigarette ads on buildings
throughout the South. It is a dizzying amalgam spread
over three stories and seven levels; ceilings range from
5 to 25 feet. There are intricate mosaic tile on the floors,
murals, trap doors and pivoting windows
September 23, 2005
KERNERSVILLE, NC
-- Körner's Folly, the 1880 showplace home of artist
and designer Jule Gilmer Körner, will be featured
in the season premier of UNC-TV's Our State series. Our
State kicks off its second season Wednesday, October 5,
at 8:00pm, with Körner's Folly as the opening segment
to this half-hour monthly series that takes an in-depth
look at the people and places that make North Carolina
great.
Be sure to tune into UNC-TV on Wednesday, October 5th
at 8:00pm for the season premier of Our State, featuring
Körner's Folly. If you can't catch the show on Wednesday,
tune in on Thursday, October 6th at 9:30 for a repeat
showing.
Our State is produced by UNC-TV in partnership with Our
State magazine and generously underwritten BB&T.
Korner’s Folly celebrates 125 years in 2005
- From the Kernersville
News, 12/28/2004
 Korner’s
Folly will be celebrating its 125th anniversary next year.
Celebrations will last throughout the year with four main
events being held in the months of April, June, October
and December. Korner’s Folly was founded on March
26, 1880. The celebration had to be pushed back to April
2, because the actual founding date, March 26, falls on
Easter weekend in 2005. Certain events will be invitation
only but the community will always be welcome to events
on the grounds of Korner’s Folly and all events happening
around Kernersville....Read the
entire article here!
 Carolina
Country - "Korner's Folley Celebrates Its 125th Birthday"
- By Karen Olsen House , 3/2005 - Korner's Folly,
dubbed "The Strangest House in the World," has
long amused visitors who gape at its fanciful Victorian
rooms and showy furniture. Starting next month, the historic
home in Kernersville hosts a year-long set of activities
to celebrate its 125th anniversary. Festivities include
a community party with barbecue and masquerade costume
ball on April 2, and an ice cream social on June 25. ...
Read
the entire article here!
 North
Carolina Farm Bureau, 2/2005 - Winston-Salem has a
wealth of history and places of interest to visit, but
in nearby Kernersville interested individuals can find
one of North Carolina's most unusual attractions.
On Main Street of this bustling town is a Victorian-era
home called Korner's Folly...Read
the entire article here!
 Sounds
of Home: Piano restorer leads crew of workers and volunteers
in a labor of love - From the Winston-Salem
Journal, 12/16/2004
KERNERSVILLE - With a heave-ho, an 1880s grand piano has
returned to its home on the top floor of Korner's Folly...Folly
workers and volunteers gathered around the piano to take
pictures and watch piano-restorer Michael Stinnett supervise
the reassembly of the piano...Read
the entire article here!
 Southern
Living May 2004 - "Marvel at Körner's Folly"
Tour this fantastical 1880 house for an afternoon of architectural
wonder. The mansion known as Korner's
Folly resembles many other handsome, well-kept historic
homes tucked around Kernersville, North Carolina, a little
Lown about midway between Greensboro and WinstonSalem.
At least on the outside, that is.
So you might wonder how the "folly" description
came about. Is the three-story, 100- foot-tall house real
or a mirage? The house is quite real and quite amazing.
The residence seemed a little ahead of its time when it
was being constructed in the late 1 870s. So much so that
a neighboring farmer walking by the structure reportedly
said, "This will surely be Jule Körner's folly."
... Read the entire
article here!
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