White Street-Valdese Avenue Historic District
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Why it's listed
Northeast of downtown Morganton, this district of about 22 acres follows parts of White Street and Valdese Avenue. It holds 45 buildings erected between about 1885 and 1936, mostly houses ranging from substantial Victorian and Queen Anne homes to small cottages and bungalows. Much of Valdese Avenue was once part of the Claywell family's Broadoaks farm, and the earliest surviving house, built about 1885 by Edward B. Claywell, still stands. Larger houses came first, followed by more modest infill, a pattern repeated in other Morganton neighborhoods. The district also includes the 1905 Colonial Revival main building of Broadoaks Sanitarium, a private hospital for nervous disorders founded in 1902 by men associated with Broughton Hospital. It closed in 1959 and has since been rehabilitated as offices. Two houses on White Street are associated with the Avery and Hennessee families, who were Black. Thirty-eight of the 45 buildings contribute to the district's character, and its architecture and development history supported its listing.
Significance in brief: The district shows a recurring Morganton pattern of large early houses followed by smaller, more modest infill. It contains the last surviving building of Broadoaks Sanitarium, a private offshoot of Broughton Hospital, and two houses tied to its doctors. It is also a notable collection of Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, bungalow and cottage architecture.
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 87001927, listed November 9, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | White St. & Valdese Ave., Morganton |
|---|---|
| County | Burke County |
| Listed | November 9, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001927 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1885-ca. 1936 |
| Architectural style | Victorian, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, bungalow and cottage residences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Houses are described as well maintained and mostly owner occupied; all remain single-family dwellings except Broadoaks, which has been rehabilitated for offices. Of 45 buildings, 38 contribute. |
| Acreage | 22 |
| Coordinates | 35.74631, -81.68165 (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 87001927.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18159248
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.