Hidden History: The last piece of Raleigh's lost wonderland, Gotno Farm

This giant pink polka-dotted dog is all that's left of the strange and magical place called the Gotno Farm. Artist George Morris filled the farm with enormous plaster statues and lived in Raleigh's only remaining Lustron house.

Posted 1:22 p.m. Jan 31, 2020 — Updated 11:47 a.m. Jan 6

Heather Leah

, digital journalist

RALEIGH, N.C. — If you've driven down Oberlin Road near the Village District in the past few months, you may have noticed a strange sight: An enormous pink, polka-dotted dog peeking out from behind a pair of historic homes.

This 12-foot pup is a decades-old remnant from an eccentric wonderland that once stood in Raleigh, tucked away on a whimsical piece of land by Buffaloe Rd. called Gotno Farm.

George overlooks downtown Raleigh from Preservation NC

In fact, this large plaster pup is the biggest of three identical versions once created by George Morris.

To Becky Harris, he was ''Uncle George," and she remembers spending a wondrous childhood on the Gotno Farm.

Three generations of Snoopy aka. George. Image courtesy of Becky Harris.

"Everybody in the community loved the place. You went there, and it was like you were in a whole different world. It was so peaceful and so relaxing," she said.

The dog's name, she said, was Snoopy -- Snoopy the dog!

She remembered Gotno Farm as having many unique, other-worldly statues just like Snoopy.

George and his statues at Gotno Farm in Raleigh. Image courtesy of Becky Harris.

"Uncle George built a ten-foot-tall frog who sat on the edge of the pond," she recalled. "He built an igloo dog house made out of plaster; his Dalmatian dog named Deacon stayed in there."

There was a curious sculpture called 'Old Holy' that stood as tall as Morris himself, an enormous plaster urn, a green statue with twisty-turning tendrils. He even built a concrete shuffleboard to entertain guests, according to Harris.

Statue by George Morris at Gotno Farm. Image courtesy of Becky Harris.

But by far, Harris' favorite structure was the Round House. She described it as a shelter made out of concrete and plaster, with a big round top and a table underneath. Around the edges was a brick wall, and he had carved out an area where people could walk around.

"The family had yearly reunions at Uncle George and Aunt Jessie’s place," Harris said. "Many times we'd hang out around the Round House."

She said Uncle George's was one of her favorite places to go as a child.

The round house on Gotno Farm in Raleigh. Image courtesy of Becky Harris.

Raleigh's last known Lustron house

Gotno Farm was more than an eccentric safari of strange plaster creatures. Morris also owned a historically-significant house.

The idea behind Lustron houses was developed in 1946 , during the immediate aftermath of WWII, when Carl Strandland requested emergency loans to build small houses for veterans returning from war. His vision of "metal, pre-frabricated neighborhoods" successfully won the loan from President Truman's Reconstruction Finance Community, according to North Carolina Modernist Houses' description of the history of Lustron.

Lustron homes were so tied into WWII that the factories producing their steel were used in WWII to build fighter planes.

Lustron house in Raleigh on Gotno Farm. Image courtesy of Becky Harris.

The research showed that as of 1949, only 39 Lustron Homes sold in North Carolina. By 1950, the company that built Lustron was bankrupt.

These enameled steel homes were designed with efficiency and cost-effectiveness in mind. To many historians and collectors, Lustron houses represent a unique and nostalgic connection to the post WWII era.

They might be compared to the iconic "Sears Homes," kit homes that could be ordered by mail in the early to mid- 1900s.

"I remember them building the house. It was a big deal. No one had ever heard of it," said Harris.

The rarity of the Lustron house made it an ideal target to be rescued by Preservation NC and the Raleigh Historic Development Commission (RHDC).

Myrick Howard, President of Preservation NC, said, "We see ourselves as an 'animal shelter for historic preservation.' We rescue a troubled building, and we find someone who can take care of it. Then we let them take over."

Snoopy on Gotno Farm. Image courtesy of Becky Harris

When they arrived to rescue the Lustron house, they looked into saving some of the statues George Morris had crafted; however, many of them were too old, unstable and crumbled to survive being jostled by construction equipment.

"Many of the statues were frilly and fragile. Even the pink dog was difficult for the Bobcat to manage. We were very nervous whenever we had to move him," said Howard.

Sadly, the smaller version of Snoopy was already gone -- perhaps stolen, destroyed by weather or sold off decades ago.

"We could at least save the dog, so we loaded him up and got a lot of strange looks as he rode down Raleigh's streets," said Howard.

Preservation NC named the dog George--changed from 'Snoopy' to reflect his connection with Gotno Farm's beloved local artist's namesake.

All that remains of Gotno's history

"Gotno Farm was a community gathering place," said Harris. "Uncle George and Aunt Jessie were members at New Hope Church.

"Uncle George was the deacon for a good while, and Aunt Jessie taught Sunday School," said Harris. "I got baptized in the pond on Gotno Farm."

After Morris' land sold, Gotno Farm was destroyed. Perseveration NC and the RHDC saved Raleigh's last Lustron house -- and the pink dog.

George being carried away to his new home. Image courtesy of Preservation NC.

"George is our mascot now," said Howard.

Sitting behind Preservation NC, George the Dog stands guard at his new post, overlooking downtown Raleigh.

Howard said the old Lustron house is a fascinating and unique piece of architecture -- a collector's item.

"It's the only Lustron house Raleigh has left," said Howard.

Just as George the dog is the only remnant of his home -- during an era when Raleigh had its own whimsical farm of enormous animal statues and strange structures.