Kernodle-Pickett House
Why it's listed
Built between 1895 and 1896 for Dr. Loften Kernodle, this rural Alamance County house looks more like a town residence than a farmhouse. It has a tall, narrow form, a side-hall plan and an L-shaped main block under a multi-gable roof. Decoration includes sawn bargeboards, bulls-eye bosses, sunburst panels, turned porch posts and stained glass windows, and a tall corbelled chimney rises above the roof. Its balloon frame filled with brick nogging is an old building method rarely seen in a house of this date. A small wing was designed as a doctor's office. Kernodle lived there only briefly. Dr. John A. Pickett bought the house about 1900 and practiced medicine there until 1947. He also served two terms in the state House of Representatives and led the consolidation of six Coble Township schools. The house remained in the Pickett family, and its exterior has changed very little. Its architecture and its link to Pickett led to its listing.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be one of the best representative examples of the Queen Anne style in Alamance County, with a multi-gable roofline, sawn and turned millwork and stained glass. It is also unusual for its balloon-frame construction infilled with brick nogging. It is associated with Dr. John A. Pickett, a prominent county physician, politician and civic leader who lived and practiced there from about 1900 to 1947.
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 87000454, listed March 23, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NC 1136 and NC 1131, Bellemont |
|---|---|
| County | Alamance County |
| Listed | March 23, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000454 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1895-1896 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; the exterior is largely unaltered and interior remodeling was in progress at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 4.4 |
| Coordinates | 36.02194, -79.46159 (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 87000454.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17560910
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.