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
Marcos Pizza
Clean Juice
New China
Susa Hibachi Grill
Little Village Restaurant
LongHorn Steakhouse
Big Dipper Ice Cream Truck
Granny’s Donuts
Agora Bakery + Cafe
IHOP
Benji’s Mexican Grill
Sweet Basil
House Of Fish Seafood Restaurant
Tavern at the Holly Inn, The
El Patrón Tacos & Tequila
Vito’s Ristorante & Pizzeria of Pinehurst
Kenny’s Country Restaurant
Carolina Fried Chicken & House Of Pizza
Mac’s Breakfast Anytime
Tay’s BBQ & Catering
Dawg Wagon
Wishflower Lane
Moe’s Southwest Grill
Middleton Street Bake Shop
Red’s Corner
Kickback Jack’s
Meadowflower Farm
Dairy Queen
Mason’s Restaurant
Cracker Barrel
Thyme & Place Catering
Chef Warren’s
Chapman’s Food & Spirits
Elliott’s On Linden
Villaggio Ristorante
Five Guys
Kitten Around Cat Lounge
Foodie Tours
Maguro Hibachi Steakhouse
Midland Bistro
SoPies New York Pizzeria
Vaquera Bar & Cocina
Soup Company, The
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza
Pizza Café
Casa Santa Ana • Pinehurst
Filly & Colt’s
Terrace Ridge Farm & Academy
Wolcott’s
Lynette’s Bakery and Cafe
Beefeater’s
Golden China
Mazatlan Family Restaurant
Carolina Vista Lounge
Kentucky Fried Chicken
McAlister’s Deli
Cagle’s Diner
The Bell Tree Tavern
Whispering Pies
High Octane
Neko Thai & Sushi
Kona Ice
Scott’s Table
Rudino’s Pizza & Grinders
Petro’s Chili & Chips
Drum & Quill
Bakehouse and Café
Casa Mexicana
Texas Roadhouse
The White Rabbit Catering
Dugan’s Pub
Red Bowl Asian Bistro
Fire House Subs- Aberdeen
Pinehurst Brewing Co.
Market Place Restaurant, The
195 American Fusion Cuisine
Village Cafe
Crossroads Coffee Company
No. 1 China
Ice Cream Parlor
Southern Angel Donut Co.
Papa John’s Pizza
Full Moon Oyster Bar
Sly Fox, The
Pine Crest Inn
Thai Orchid
Cookies-N-Moore
Dave’s Place
Southern Prime Steakhouse
Villager Deli Restaurant, The
Clean Eatz
China King
Wedgie’s
Órale Taco Bar
Hickory Tavern
Thai Fusion Cuisine
Panera Bread
Valenti’s Italian Restaurant
The Block
Domino’s Pizza Seven Lakes
Susa Sushi & Hibachi
Rooted Café & Market
Island Jerk Cuisine Caribbean Restaurant
Swank
Casa Garcia – Carthage
El Chapin 2 Guatemalan Restaurant
Jaya’s Indian Cuisine
Given Tufts Bookshop
1895 Grille
Pizzeria Grazia
Bob’s Pizza
Smithfield’s Chicken & Barbecue
Sonic Drive-In
Cold Stone Creamery
The Buggy Factory
Roast Sandwich Market
Chili’s Grill & Bar
Pa’s Pizza & Hot Subs
Sweet Carolina Ice Cream
Mid Pines Terrace & Dining Room
Lisi Italian
Frankie’s Southern Grinds
Spice Café
Railhouse Brewery
Ryder Cup Lounge
Amor Ciego Coffee Co.
Wildfire Pizza
Time Out Sports Grill
Banh-Sen Street Food & Noodle Bar
China Wok
Buffalo Wild Wings
Tacos Guerrero
New York Deli & Catering
Outback Steakhouse
Betsy’s Crepes
The Deuce
Maxie’s Grill & Tap Room
Lake House Bar & Grill
Pete’s Family Restaurant
Pinehurst Track Restaurant
First Watch
Jersey Mike’s Subs
CharBar No.7 – Southern Pines
Buggy Town Coffee
Starbuck’s
Embers BBQ
Pine Scone Cafe
Waffle House
Pinehurst Picnic Co.
Midway Grill
Casa Santa Ana • Seven Lakes
Domino’s Pizza Carthage
Pik N Pig
Table on the Green
Bonefish Grill
Pinehurst Pizza
C Cups Cupcakery Southern Pines
Village Pizza
C Cups Cupcakery Pinehurst
Ashten’s
Ironwood
Kitchen at Nature’s Own
Dickeys Barbecue Pit
Nana & Papa’s
Purple Penguin Southern Pines
Java Bean Plantation
HomeGrown
Stubbs & Sons BBQ
Steve’s Pizza And Hot Subs
San Filipe Mexican Restaurant
Dunkin’ Donuts
Sizzlin’ Steak Or Eggs
Vito’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
Carolina Dining Room
The Pit Shop Catering
O’Donnell’s Pub
Tokyo Express
Roast Office, The
Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut Southern Pines
Mas-A-Wrap Filipino and Asian
The Chuck wagon Restaurant
Berri Bowlful
Seven Lakes Pizza Kitchen
Crest Dining Room at Pine Needles
The Workshop Tavern
Olive Garden
Starbucks
HoneyBaked Ham
Simply Coffee Robbins