Cates, Charles F. and Howard, Farm
Also known as: Swathmoor Farm
Why it's listed
Located several miles northeast of Graham in Alamance County, North Carolina, this farm centers on a two-story double-pile house set at the end of a long gravel drive, with outbuildings grouped behind it. The house began as a hall-parlor dwelling and was enlarged in the early 1850s in a Greek Revival and Italianate form. Charles Fletcher Cates bought the farm in 1905 and moved his pickle and preserves business there, which operated from the farm until 1929 when it relocated to Faison. Cates was also a farmer, cooperative organizer, county school board member, and a Master Farmer named in 1927. The farm's dairy operation, led by his son Howard from the late 1920s, is represented by surviving buildings including a milk barn, well house with an insulated milk cooler, and a multipurpose barn. Extensive Mangum-style erosion-control terraces in the fields also remain. These features explain the nomination's reasons for recognizing the property.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is significant for its association with Charles Fletcher Cates, a farmer and civic leader who operated the Cates Pickle Manufacturing Company there from 1905 to 1929. It also cites the farm's role in Alamance County dairy farming from the late 1920s to 1951, including surviving dairy outbuildings and erosion-control terraces.
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 01001025, listed September 24, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4870 Mebane Rogers Rd., Mebane |
|---|---|
| County | Alamance County |
| Listed | September 24, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01001025 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1905-1951 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still operated as a working farm by Cates family descendants; the house is undergoing renovation. |
| Acreage | 100 |
| Coordinates | 36.11333, -79.27957 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 01001025.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17508440
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.