Fountain, The
Also known as: Walnut Fountain
Why it's listed
Built as the seat of a 1,350-acre plantation above the Yadkin River, this frame house in Caldwell County's Happy Valley is said to date to 1807, when William Davenport built the two-story main block. Davenport served in both houses of the state legislature, helped survey the North Carolina-Tennessee boundary, helped lay out the town of Lenoir, and was a founder of Davenport College. His descendants, the Davenport-Jones family, lived here for five generations, until 1985. After the Civil War a kitchen and dining room ell was added and the main rooms were refitted in Greek Revival style. In the 1880s the house received Victorian updates, including a five-sided bay, a bracketed porch and window hoods. Inside, the house keeps Georgian woodwork, an unusual enclosed corkscrew attic stair and a basement kitchen, one of few such nineteenth-century kitchens left in western North Carolina. A brick well house and dairy also survives on the lot. The house is recognized for its architecture, its builder and its place in local settlement and social history.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the two oldest known houses in Caldwell County and its Happy Valley, home to five generations of the Davenport-Jones family from 1807 to 1985. It is tied to William Davenport, a prominent political and civic leader and founder of Davenport College. Its layered Federal, Greek Revival and Queen Anne-influenced fabric, including a rare surviving basement kitchen, adds architectural importance.
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 04000942, listed September 2, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1677 NC 268, Yadkin Valley |
|---|---|
| County | Caldwell County |
| Listed | September 2, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000942 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1807-ca. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival, Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Education, Politics/Government, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single dwelling; described as somewhat deteriorated in appearance, with aluminum siding over the weatherboards and a deteriorated well house. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.99939, -81.53837 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 04000942.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7734964
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.