This wonderful old cabin has been the proud home of the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange since 1923. We are a member of the Federation of Woman’s Exchanges, the longest running women’s volunteer organization in the country.
Come Eat and Shop at this Historic Log Cabin! Gift Shop Open 10 am – 3 pm. Lunch 11:00 am – 2 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday.
We are a national organization of Woman’s Exchanges whose goal is to help members of our community achieve economic stability through consignment and sale of fine-quality, hand-crafted items.
The Federation’s mission is to provide mutual support and cooperation among its network of members and to provide a way to exchange ideas and business practices.
The Early History of the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange
In 1922, a small group of women joined together based on a need and a desire. The need was the women and families of the Sandhills. Life was hard in the rural counties. Poverty was common. Health conditions poor. Paved roads were few. Telephones mostly non-existent and country women rarely left their homes. That was the need. The desire was how to help these women.
Having admired the locally made quilts, rugs, coverlets and other handcrafted items, along with the abundance of jams, jellies, preserves and canned goods at the Sandhills Fair in 1922, Katherine Tuckerman, Molly Lovering and Darthea Cowgill knew the Sandhills needed a Woman’s Exchange. The Federation of Woman’s Exchanges was an organization begun in the 1830’s that arose from the need for women to find a means to earn income. Giving women an outlet to sell their handcrafts and culinary goods was a radical idea at a time when women could not or did not work outside the home.
While Katherine had the organizational skills, Molly was knowledgeable in handcrafts and culinary techniques, and Darthea was practical, with passion and drive. Molly and Darthea became the connection to, and the delivery service for, the rural women. Driving miles along rutted, sandy country roads, they established relationships and friendships with the women, teaching them new crafts and processes for preserving, and if needed, providing them with the supplies to create goods to sell.
More women were drawn to the idea of an exchange, and on May 2, 1923, they met to discuss formally establishing the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange. They organized, divided duties, secured funds and searched for a place to operate. In the fall of 1923, the SWE began operations on the porch of what was known as the Way House on Pee Dee Road, between Southern Pines and Pinehurst. The season was an outstanding success and thus began the search for a larger space, and with the help of Gertrude Tufts, found a home in the log cabin still occupied today by the SWE.
The SWE log cabin was built in 1823 by James Ray, near his grist mill. The McKenzie family later acquired it for use as a kitchen. When James W. Tufts, developer of Pinehurst, saw it, he was so charmed by it, the McKenzies gave it to him. He moved the one-room cabin to the Pine Grove in the Village in 1896 and had it restored. The cabin had been used as a museum and caretaker’s cottage before his daughter-in-law, Gertrude, initiated the donation of the cabin to the SWE.
For 100 years, hundreds of women have volunteered their time, donated money, solicited funds and gathered supplies to aid the people of the Sandhills. Continuous since they opened their doors, the SWE has remained constant in their mission of “helping others help themselves.” Since 1922, hundreds of women and men have brought their goods, their crafts and their talents to the Exchange to sell, and in return, took home needed monies to their families. Today, the Sandhills Woman’s Exchange continues the mission set 100 years ago by a small group of women who saw a need and had the desire to do something about it. The SWE is proudly one of 15 remaining members of the Federation of Woman’s Exchanges, the oldest continuous charitable organization in the United States.
Other Dining
The Workshop Tavern
Pizza Hut
China King
Domino’s Pizza Carthage
Cookies-N-Moore
Chili’s Grill & Bar
Dunkin’ Donuts
Buggy Town Coffee
Panera Bread
Sonic Drive-In
Lynette’s Bakery and Cafe
Southern Prime Steakhouse
Drum & Quill
Roast Office, The
Table on the Green
Susa Sushi & Hibachi
Pik N Pig
Sweet Basil
Pinehurst Pizza
Neko Thai & Sushi
Southern Angel Donut Co.
Mazatlan Family Restaurant
Vaquera Bar & Cocina
The Block
Island Jerk Cuisine Caribbean Restaurant
Bakehouse and Café
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza
Kona Ice
Fire House Subs- Aberdeen
El Patrón Tacos & Tequila
Susa Hibachi Grill
The White Rabbit Catering
Wedgie’s
The Deuce
Midland Bistro
Amor Ciego Coffee Co.
Railhouse Brewery
Dugan’s Pub
Village Pizza
Sweet Carolina Ice Cream
Pizza Café
C Cups Cupcakery Southern Pines
Mac’s Breakfast Anytime
Time Out Sports Grill
Carolina Vista Lounge
Filly & Colt’s
Kenny’s Country Restaurant
Bob’s Pizza
No. 1 China
Nana & Papa’s
Dawg Wagon
Villaggio Ristorante
Seven Lakes Pizza Kitchen
Pizza Hut Southern Pines
Cracker Barrel
Agora Bakery + Cafe
Mas-A-Wrap Filipino and Asian
Berri Bowlful
Steve’s Pizza And Hot Subs
Tokyo Express
Kickback Jack’s
The Breakfast Truck in Southern Pines
Spice Café
First Watch
Golden China
Kitchen at Nature’s Own
Foodie Tours
Dickeys Barbecue Pit
Crossroads Coffee Company
Carolina Dining Room
House Of Fish Seafood Restaurant
Casa Mexicana
The Pit Shop Catering
Stubbs & Sons BBQ
High Octane
New China
Dairy Queen
Pinehurst Brewing Co.
Pinewurst
Chef Warren’s
Given Tufts Bookshop
Hickory Tavern
Ironwood
Pine Scone Cafe
El Chapin 2 Guatemalan Restaurant
Pete’s Family Restaurant
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Ryder Cup Lounge
Mid Pines Terrace & Dining Room
Thai Fusion Cuisine
Crest Dining Room at Pine Needles
Betsy’s Crepes
Meadowflower Farm
Starbuck’s
Red Bowl Asian Bistro
Jaya’s Indian Cuisine
Pine Crest Inn
Purple Penguin Southern Pines
Elliott’s On Linden
New York Deli & Catering
Lisi Italian
Waffle House
Casa Santa Ana • Pinehurst
Starbucks
Texas Roadhouse
Grape Leaf Bistro
San Filipe Mexican Restaurant
Beefeater’s
Five Guys
Smithfield’s Chicken & Barbecue
Little Village Restaurant
Clean Eatz
Market Place Restaurant, The
O’Donnell’s Pub
Domino’s Pizza Seven Lakes
LongHorn Steakhouse
Wolcott’s
Full Moon Oyster Bar
Cagle’s Diner
Red’s Corner
Whispering Pies
Casa Garcia – Carthage
SoPies New York Pizzeria
1895 Grille
Jersey Mike’s Subs
HomeGrown
CharBar No.7 – Southern Pines
Pa’s Pizza & Hot Subs
Maguro Hibachi Steakhouse
Tay’s BBQ & Catering
Village Cafe
Cold Stone Creamery
Tavern at the Holly Inn, The
Ice Cream Parlor
IHOP
Big Dipper Ice Cream Truck
Pizzeria Grazia
HoneyBaked Ham
Villager Deli Restaurant, The
The Chuck wagon Restaurant
Lake House Bar & Grill
C Cups Cupcakery Pinehurst
Thai Orchid
Benji’s Mexican Grill
Pinehurst Track Restaurant
Terrace Ridge Farm & Academy
Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders
Outback Steakhouse
Kitten Around Cat Lounge
Vito’s Ristorante & Pizzeria of Pinehurst
Vito’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Ashten’s
Mason’s Restaurant
Marcos Pizza
Wildfire Pizza
Valenti’s Italian Restaurant
Órale Taco Bar
Clean Juice
Embers BBQ
Frankie’s Southern Grinds
Granny’s Donuts
Sly Fox, The
Banh-Sen Street Food & Noodle Bar
Simply Coffee Robbins
Swank
195 American Fusion Cuisine
Dave’s Place
Olive Garden
Midway Grill
Casa Santa Ana • Seven Lakes
Pinehurst Picnic Co.
Roast Sandwich Market
Chapman’s Food & Spirits
Petro’s Chili & Chips
China Wok
The Buggy Factory
Sizzlin’ Steak Or Eggs
Papa John’s Pizza
Maxie’s Grill & Tap Room
Buffalo Wild Wings
Middleton Street Bake Shop
Java Bean Plantation
Thyme & Place Catering
Soup Company, The
Carolina Fried Chicken & House Of Pizza
McAlister’s Deli
Tacos Guerrero
Wishflower Lane
The Bell Tree Tavern