Purdie House and Purdie Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Purdie House and Purdie Methodist Church face each other across N.C. 87 near Tar Heel, in Bladen County. The two-story brick house, set on a bluff above the Cape Fear River, was built between 1803 and 1809 for planter James S. Purdie. Its Federal design includes double galleries on the land and water sides, Flemish bond brickwork, and an original stair on the rear porch. The nomination calls it one of the two finest antebellum plantation houses in the county and notes its Federal finish as the earliest known there. Across the road, a modest temple-form Greek Revival frame chapel was probably built around 1845 for Anna Maria Purdie. It replaced an earlier chapel where Methodist Bishop Francis Asbury preached in 1803 and 1811. The Purdie family held the plantation from 1796 until 1946. The church building remains owned by its congregation, and services are still held there.
Significance in brief: The Purdie family owned the plantation from 1796 to 1946. The house is described as one of the two finest antebellum plantation houses in Bladen County, with double galleries facing land and water, an original main stair on the rear porch, and the earliest known Federal finish in the county. The chapel replaced an earlier one where Bishop Francis Asbury preached in 1803 and 1811.
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 77000989, listed April 13, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2.8 mi. E of Tar Heel, Tar Heel |
|---|---|
| County | Bladen County |
| Listed | April 13, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77000989 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Federal (house); Greek Revival (church) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | House described as recently restored and in good condition, occupied as a residence; the church is owned by its congregation and still holds services. |
| Acreage | 60 |
| Coordinates | 34.71393, -78.74396 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
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 77000989.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7260960
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.