Henderson Scott Farm Historic District
Why it's listed
Henderson Scott Farm is a rural district of about 198 acres at a crossroads in eastern Alamance County, North Carolina. Seventeen buildings are scattered across rolling farmland. Henderson Scott built three antebellum structures at the crossroads: a one-story hall-and-parlor house in 1836, a two-story Greek Revival house in 1849 and a frame store in 1855. The store was later moved and converted into a house. Farm outbuildings include a smokehouse, a sheep barn, a brick milk and butter house, garages, chicken houses and dairy barns from the 1930s and 1940s. Five generations of the Scott family lived here. The farm was the birthplace of three influential state figures, Robert Walter Scott, Governor William Kerr Scott and Senator Ralph Scott, who shaped North Carolina's agricultural policy. The early houses are also among the county's earliest examples of their plan types. Ten of the seventeen buildings contribute to the district's character.
Significance in brief: The district was the home of five generations of the Scott family, starting with Henderson Scott (1814-1870), and the birthplace of three prominent North Carolina political figures: Robert Walter Scott, Governor William Kerr Scott and Senator Ralph Scott. Its three antebellum buildings are early examples of local vernacular architecture, including an early hall-and-parlor house and a two-story double-pile house. The outbuildings show how the farm worked from a self-sustaining operation to a prosperous agribusiness.
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 87000411, listed September 16, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NC 119 and SR 2135, Mebane |
|---|---|
| County | Alamance County |
| Listed | September 16, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000411 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1836-1936 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by Henderson Scott; later buildings by Walter Scott and Ralph Scott) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Colonial Revival; vernacular farm buildings |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent to good and altered; the property is occupied, with some buildings converted to houses. Ten of the seventeen buildings are contributing. |
| Acreage | 197.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.04183, -79.33088 (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 87000411.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17560754
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.