{"nrhp_refnum":"71000618","name":"Braun, Michael, House","other_names":["Old Stone House"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"NW of Granite Quarry on SR 2308 off U.S. 52","address_restricted":false,"city":"Granite Quarry","county":"Rowan County","state":"NC","lat":35.62236107800004,"lon":-80.44090279599999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1971-09-28","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story stone dwelling with a one-story frame kitchen wing, located northwest of Granite Quarry in Rowan County, North Carolina. Michael Braun completed it in October 1766.","why_significant":"It is believed to be the oldest house in Rowan County and probably one of the oldest in piedmont North Carolina. It is noted for superb construction and described as the noblest of the North Carolina stone houses. It also reflects the important German influence on the state's history and culture.","narrative":"Built in 1766 by German-born Michael Braun, this two-story stone house stands northwest of Granite Quarry in Rowan County. The front facade is coursed stone, with segmental arches over the first-floor openings and a stone slab above the entrance bearing Braun's name, his wife's name and a German abbreviation giving thanks for the completed work. A frame kitchen wing with a very wide fireplace extends from the east side. Inside are four unequally sized rooms, corner fireplaces, raised-panel wainscot and an enclosed spiral stair. Braun was a merchant, wheelwright, farmer and later a printer in Salisbury. His family lived in the house until 1904. After decline, it was repaired in the twentieth century and is now a museum run by Rowan Museum, Inc. It is believed to be the oldest house in Rowan County and shows the German influence on North Carolina's culture. A log outbuilding was later moved onto the grounds.","period_of_significance":"18th Century (1766)","architect_builder":"Michael Braun (Brown), builder and original owner","architectural_style":null,"criteria":[],"status_note":"Restored and open regularly as a house museum administered by Rowan Museum, Inc.; condition listed as excellent and unaltered. A relocated log outbuilding was later added for storage.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:58:57.645838-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/70/7220/47722070/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NC/71000618.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/71000618/80541194ea-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/71000618/80541194ea-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Thomas T. Waterman, HABS Photographer","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Braun_House,_State_Route_2308,_Granite_Quarry_vicinity_(Rowan_County,_North_Carolina).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Thomas T. Waterman, HABS Photographer</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Braun_House,_State_Route_2308,_Granite_Quarry_vicinity_(Rowan_County,_North_Carolina).jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47722070","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Braun_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q19817671"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/north-carolina/rowan-county/braun-michael-house-71000618/"}