Hart, Dr. Franklin, Farm
Why it's listed
Hidden Path, the Dr. Franklin Hart Farm, covers 632 acres of flat, sandy fields and mixed forest north of Rocky Mount in Nash County. Its centerpiece is a two-story, three-bay frame I-house built about 1845, with Federal and Greek Revival details and a two-tier portico on massive turned and banded columns. A one-and-one-half story Georgian rear wing is thought to be the original Hart dwelling from the late eighteenth century. Nearby stand a detached kitchen, a smokehouse, a packhouse, three frame tobacco barns, four rare concrete tobacco barns from about 1912, and seven tenant houses. The Hart family owned and farmed the land from about 1770 until 1979, making it one of the county's longest continuously operated single-owner farms. The property was recognized for its architecture and its record of agriculture, and the land remains in cultivation with its historic setting largely unchanged.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | c. 1770-1937 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Greek Revival; Other: Vernacular I-House |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Acreage | 632 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Hart, Dr. Franklin, Farm (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.