Sherrill's Inn
Why it's listed
Set on a wooded mountain hillside above a curving road near Fairview, this large frame house grew from two early log structures, one a saddle-bag log house later raised to two stories and weatherboarded. Its most distinctive feature is an exterior stair beneath the porch, with a Federal style balustrade. Early twentieth-century remodeling added a hall, a wing and Federal style woodwork. Bedford Sherrill ran the building as an inn on the Hickory Nut Turnpike, which linked Rutherfordton and Asheville. Stagecoach passengers and cattle drovers stopped there, and the register shows guests from many states and several foreign countries. Former president Millard Fillmore stayed in 1858, and Tennessee governor Andrew Johnson signed in during 1859. Sherrill family members operated the inn until 1908, after which it closed. The property keeps a stone spring house, a log meathouse, cottages, an orchard and a barn. It was recognized for its architecture, its role in transportation and commerce, and its record of travel in western North Carolina.
Significance in brief: It was cited by Thomas T. Waterman in The Early Architecture of North Carolina as a notable saddle-bag log house with an unusual exterior stair. It also served for much of the nineteenth century as an inn and stagecoach and drover stop on the Hickory Nut Turnpike, an early route important to western North Carolina. Its guest register records prominent visitors, including Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson.
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 75001244, listed April 16, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2.5 mi. S of Fairview off U.S. 74, Fairview |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | April 16, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001244 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries (specific dates ca. 1801, ca. 1834, ca. 1922) |
| Architect / builder | Bedford Sherrill (built for him; he apparently built the inn) |
| Architectural style | Saddle-bag log house, later weatherboarded and enlarged, with Federal style trim |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and altered; used as a private residence. The inn closed permanently around 1908-1909. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 35.49356, -82.36616 (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 75001244.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158007
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.