{"nrhp_refnum":"77001012","name":"Polk, Leonidas L., House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"612 N. Blount St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Raleigh","county":"Wake County","state":"NC","lat":35.788434118000055,"lon":-78.63566030099997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1977-04-13","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Agriculture","Politics/Government"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story late Victorian Shingle Style frame house in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, built about 1891 by Leonidas L. Polk and his wife Sarah. It was originally on the west side of Person Street and has since been moved.","why_significant":"The house is tied to Leonidas L. Polk, described as the most effective champion of agricultural reform in North Carolina history and a central figure in national reform politics of the early 1890s. It is called Raleigh's most vivid reminder of him and is also noted for its Shingle Style design, corner turret and interior stair.","narrative":"This two-story frame house in Raleigh was built about 1891 as the home of Leonidas L. Polk and his wife Sarah. Polk was North Carolina's first Commissioner of Agriculture, founded and edited the Progressive Farmer, helped establish what is now North Carolina State University, and served as president of the National Farmers' Alliance. The house is described as the best surviving reminder of his career in Raleigh. Its late Victorian Shingle Style design includes a corner turret, a front porch with star-shaped sawnwork ornament, and a main stair with a Chinese Chippendale-derived balustrade. Originally on Person Street, it was moved in the 1960s to avoid demolition from commercial development, losing its original porches and two wings. A 1999 approval allowed a further move to the 500 block of North Blount Street, with restoration planned for office and museum use. The historic core remained largely unaltered.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899 (specific date ca. 1891)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Late Victorian Shingle Style","criteria":[],"status_note":"Moved in the early-to-mid 1960s to the rear of 612 North Blount Street, where it was reported poorly maintained. A 1999 request approved a second move about 500 feet southwest, with restoration planned for office and museum use.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:58:55.764218-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/51/7224/47722451/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NC/77001012.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77001012/c5724764a2-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/77001012/c5724764a2-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Jerrye &amp; Roy Klotz, MD","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LEONIDAS_L._POLK_HOUSE,_RALEIGH,_WAKE_COUNTY.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jerrye &amp;amp; Roy Klotz, MD</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LEONIDAS_L._POLK_HOUSE,_RALEIGH,_WAKE_COUNTY.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"74001380","name":"Oakwood Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/north-carolina/oakwood-historic-district-74001380/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47722451","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonidas_L._Polk_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21016116"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/north-carolina/wake-county/polk-leonidas-l-house-77001012/"}