Wilfong-Wilson Farm
Why it's listed
Built about 1830 by George Daniel Wilfong, the two-story frame farmhouse near Startown in Catawba County is set on a knoll overlooking pasture and wooded ravines. Its original Federal style interior survives, including two original mantels with carved fan corners and marbled finishes, molded cornices, paneled wainscot and grained six-panel doors. The house is regarded as one of the finest Federal style houses in the county. The farm's log smokehouse, frame corn crib and stone potato house, all thought to date from the house's period, remain grouped nearby. The property is significant for its association with Wilfong's family and the later Wilson family, who farmed it through the antebellum period into the early twentieth century, and for the house's architecture. Grain and livestock were the principal products, and the farm's integrity reflects typical agricultural life in the county.
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 | ca. 1830-1905 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Acreage | 53 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Wilfong-Wilson 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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.