Madonna Acres Historic District
Why it's listed
Madonna Acres is a subdivision of forty houses laid out on Delany Drive and three short cul-de-sacs in east Raleigh, adjoining the St. Augustine's College campus. Platted in 1960 by developer John W. Winters on land once part of Bishop Henry Beard Delany's homeplace, it was built mostly between 1960 and 1965. Its brick Ranch and Split Level houses, many with picture windows, stone accents, integral carports and floor plans stepped into sloping lots, form a well-preserved group of modern residential design. The subdivision is regarded as the earliest in Raleigh developed by African Americans for African American homeowners, a notable achievement under segregation. Many original residents were educators, and a large share of the houses remain in the families of their first owners.
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-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | 1960-1965 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Ranch; Split Level; Contemporary |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black, Community Planning and Development |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Madonna Acres Historic District (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.