The cupola on Plain View School before it was removed.

Restoring History Plain View School was built in 1927 with classrooms, a media center and an auditorium. A cafeteria was built in 1953 and a gym in 1956.

The school served children in the Plain View Community of Sampson County until the new school was built in 2001.

The original Plain View School had a bell, which resided in the cupola on the roof.

“The cupola was a bell tower, but they took the bell out about 20 years ago when the new Plain View School was opened,” said Kim Schmidlin, Plain View Community Coalition board member. “It (the bell) was reconditioned and sits on a brick platform at the new school.”

The property and buildings of the original school were deeded to the community, and the Plain View Community Coalition was formed to convert the property for community use.

Before the old school was demolished, the cupola was removed and saved as a small piece of history. But the question remained as to how to refurbish the cupola.

Top: Cupola removed; Bottom: Cupola replaced.

After an exhaustive search, they found someone willing to tackle the restoration project right in Sampson County.

The project was undertaken by South River EMC Lineman Ben Beasley. He has the right balance of carpentry expertise and know- how. Beasley picked up the cupola and moved it to his home workshop to complete the work.

“I was asked because I’m a carpenter,” said Beasley. “I thought, 'I believe I can do it and I’d like to try and help save it.'”

The original cupola was destroyed in a fire. However, it was replaced mid-century. As the focal point of the school, it had previously been refurbished; however, it had deteriorated significantly.

With weather and age, it was also damaged when blown over during a storm.

“It was a lot of work,” said Beasley. “It had a lot of louvers, I started counting them, but it was just a lot.”

He salvaged what he could.

“The corners and part of the top of the arches and the top itself was what I could use of the existing cupola,” said Beasley.

He made all new louvers, not a light task for how many there were on each side. He started about November 1 and the cupola was installed in February.

“Ben used fir wood, which is the original wood type used on the cupola,” said Schmidlin.

“It’s a piece of history,” said Beasley. “With so much history being thrown away, you’ve got to save something.”

Beasley was not the only craftsman working on this project — he was joined nights and weekends by several Cooperative co-workers.

"I'd like to thanks the guys from South River EMC who worked with me, as well as the painter who painted the cupola," he said.

You can see the completed project at 5561 Plain View Highway, Dunn. It sits back off the road, so you'll have to stop and see!