Hermitage, The
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Near Merry Hill in Bertie County, North Carolina, a farmhouse a few hundred yards from the Chowan River grew in stages from a late eighteenth-century story-and-a-half Georgian coastal cottage. That cottage now forms the rear wing. A two-and-a-half story Federal period addition was attached at a right angle, and Greek Revival woodwork was added to the east rooms. The interior keeps its original flooring, plaster, raised-panel doors and woodwork from each period, along with a handsomely detailed staircase that is rare for the county. The property once included a wharf and a fishery that operated into the 1930s. Owners included Dr. Alexander Wood Mebane, a state legislator from Bertie County, and Augustus Holley, one of the county's wealthiest landowners. The house was listed for its link to the antebellum plantation, its owners, its architecture, and its potential to yield archeological information. A smokehouse and a two-room Greek Revival structure remain nearby.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house shows how a dwelling was expanded over time to suit changing owners, with intact Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival woodwork. It is tied to the antebellum plantation and the Chowan River fishery, and to Dr. Alexander Wood Mebane and Augustus Holley. It may also yield archeological information about plantation household life.
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 82003427, listed June 8, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Merry Hill, Merry Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Bertie County |
| Listed | June 8, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003427 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival vernacular architecture; Georgian coastal cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied, with present use given as storage; condition checked as good and altered. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.08677, -76.73304 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 82003427.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18151661
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.