Isenhour, Daniel, House and Farm
Why it's listed
This 73-acre farm near Gold Hill in northeast Cabarrus County centers on a weatherboarded two-story house built around 1843 for Daniel Isenhour, a farmer and cabinetmaker. The house has a Federal-Greek Revival character, with nine-over-six sash, center-hall plan, original pine floors and flush-sheathed walls. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century a one-story rear ell was added and bracketed Italianate eaves and porches updated its look. The grounds hold a smoke house, a well shed, several farm outbuildings and a double-pen log barn, set among pastures, maples, pear and fruit trees, and about forty acres of woodland. Isenhour trained his son in cabinetmaking, and the property reflects the rural craftsman who worked a trade while farming modestly. Three generations of the family lived here until 1963. The house was being restored when it was documented, with deteriorated weatherboards replaced in kind and the foundation stabilized.
Significance in brief: The farm is associated with antebellum cabinetmaking in Cabarrus County and illustrates the traditional lifeway of a rural craftsman who combined his trade with farming. The house is an example of Federal-Greek Revival construction updated with Italianate detail in the late nineteenth century. The landscape also reflects three generations of one family's place-making from about 1843 to 1963.
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 00000392, listed April 21, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 11970 Mt. Olive Rd., Gold Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Cabarrus County |
| Listed | April 21, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000392 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1843 to ca. 1950 |
| Architectural style | Italianate (Federal-Greek Revival core); log barn |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was undergoing restoration and renovation at the time of the form, and current function is listed as work in progress and vacant/not in use. |
| Acreage | 73 |
| Coordinates | 35.49610, -80.38057 (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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 00000392.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18152547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.