Gray, William W., House
Also known as: Carey,Abner,House
Why it's listed
Built around 1885 at 119 North Court Street in Grayville, this Queen Anne house was commissioned by W.W. Gray, Sr., a son of one of the town's founders. It follows a design by mail-order architect George F. Barber, published in his pattern books. The wood-framed house has a steep hip roof, four cross gables, an eight-sided tower, a curving veranda with Tuscan columns, stained glass windows, and a carved stair in the reception hall. Original chandeliers, speaking tubes, and an iron fence survive. A matching coach house stands at the rear, though a 1950s motel addition and apartment conversion are counted as noncontributing. Gray family members lived here until 1947, when it was sold to Abner Carey. The house was listed as the most intact high-style Queen Anne home in Grayville and as a locally significant example of Barber's work. It has since been adapted as a bed and breakfast inn.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house meets Criterion C as a locally significant, distinctive example of Queen Anne architecture. It cites excellent exterior and interior detailing, multiple cross gables, mixed shingle and siding textures, a wraparound porch, and decorative gable ornamentation. It is described as the most intact high-style Queen Anne home in Grayville and as typical of Barber's published designs.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 92000049, listed February 13, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 119 N. Court St., Grayville |
|---|---|
| County | White County |
| Listed | February 13, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000049 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1885 |
| Architect / builder | Barber, George Franklin |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted by the current owner to a bed and breakfast inn; the coach house was converted to apartments in the 1950s and the attached eight-unit motel is used for storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.25855, -87.99602 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 92000049.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16840200
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.