Taylor Farm

Set among level sandy fields between Jenkins Swamp and Squires Run, this 153-acre farm near Richlands in Onslow County centers on a two-story brick house built in 1931-32 for James and Florence Taylor. Wilmington architect Leslie N. Boney designed it, combining Craftsman and Colonial Revival details such as a slate hipped roof, a wraparound porch and a Palladian dormer window. Behind the house stand a garage, a pump house, a two-story frame barn and the ruined tile silos of a former cow barn. A family cemetery lies to the south. From the late 1930s the Taylors expanded from crops, chickens and livestock into dairy farming, and the growth of Camp Lejeune created strong demand for their milk. Large-scale farms like this were rare in the county before World War II. The farm remains in agricultural use and keeps much of its original layout, house features and historic buildings, which is why it was recognized for its agricultural and architectural importance.