Dougherty Heights Historic District
Why it's listed
Dougherty Heights is a residential neighborhood of one- and two-story frame houses, bungalows and mid-century infill on the north and northwest edge of downtown Black Mountain in Buncombe County, North Carolina. Its streets were platted on Dougherty, Kerlee and McKoy family land beginning around 1913, after Silas F. Dougherty's estate was divided among heirs. Silas Dougherty had built a large frame house in 1897 that later operated as a boarding house under the name Dougherty Heights, and the neighborhood took its name from it. Black Mountain's growth as a rail-served tourist town, with nearby Mount Mitchell, religious retreats and summer camps, shaped the demand for housing here. Most resources date from 1910 to 1930, with a second wave after the 1930s. The district holds fifty-four contributing buildings, and its houses show a range of popular early and mid twentieth-century styles, including Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revival, Minimal Traditional and Ranch houses. It is regarded as a locally significant example of that residential development.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant under Criterion C for architecture because its houses display a mix of nationally popular styles, including Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Minimal Traditional and Ranch, typical of early and mid twentieth-century residential neighborhoods in North Carolina. Its development was tied to the town's tourism economy, and it attracted many of the town's prominent families.
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 10001132, listed January 14, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Church St, Connally St, and N Dougherty St, Laurel Circle, Prospect St, and New Bern Ave, Black Mountain |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | January 14, 2011 |
| Reference number | 10001132 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1897-1960 |
| Architectural style | Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Minimal Traditional, Ranch |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 25 |
| Coordinates | 35.61804, -82.32409 (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 10001132.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18011323
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.