Freeman Hotel
Why it's listed
This large two-story frame building in Windsor, North Carolina, was probably built in the 1840s and shows clear Greek Revival character: wide proportions, large nine-over-six and nine-over-nine windows with fluted trim and cornerblocks, fanlighted gables, and a double portico with seven fluted columns on each level. Its original purpose is unknown. From about 1888 until 1936 it served as a hotel with eight bedrooms, a bar room and two dining rooms, run by merchant Samuel P. Freeman and later under the names Commercial House and Hotel Pearl. It later became rental apartments. In 1981 it was moved to a town-owned lot on York Street to save it. The town agreed to restore the exterior and rebuild the portico, while keeping original floors, stairs, Greek Revival trim and pressed-tin walls and ceilings inside. It is valued as Windsor's finest Greek Revival building and a rare surviving small-town hotel.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the best example of mature Greek Revival architecture in Windsor and one of fewer than twenty surviving antebellum buildings in the town. It also represents the small-town hotels once common in eastern North Carolina from the mid-nineteenth century until the automobile age. It operated as a hotel from about 1888 until 1936 under merchant S. P. Freeman.
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 82003432, listed September 9, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | York and Granville Sts., Windsor |
|---|---|
| County | Bertie County |
| Listed | September 9, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003432 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved in 1981 to a town-owned lot; the Town of Windsor plans to restore the exterior and adapt the interior as office space for the Chamber of Commerce. Condition is listed as fair and altered. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Windsor Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.99928, -76.94484 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82003432.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18150475
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.