Mary's Grove
Also known as: Rabb House
Why it's listed
Mary's Grove is a group of four stone buildings in Lenoir, North Carolina: a two-story Colonial Revival house, a well-house, a silo and a dairy, all built about 1932-1934. They occupy 2.231 acres left from a fifty-six-acre farm that Eleanor Miller Rabb assembled and ran as Mary's Grove Dairy until shortly before her death in 1949. She hired the Lyons brothers of Boone, stonemasons who had worked at Duke University and Duke Chapel, to build them. The grey random-ashlar house has a two-story portico with paired Tuscan columns, and its interior retains original finishes, bathrooms and kitchen cabinetry. The name comes from Mary Perkins Miller, who received land here around 1787-1790. The property was listed for architecture because it is the most important known surviving domestic work of the Lyons brothers and shows the quality of interwar stone construction. A bypass and commercial development have since changed the surroundings, but the old grove and repeated stonework keep the feel of a country place.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the four stone buildings are the most extensive and important surviving domestic commission of the Lyons brothers, who gained local acclaim as stonemasons after working at Duke University and Duke Chapel. The buildings embody the best stone construction of the interwar period. The site also carries the name and family history of the Mary's Grove plantation.
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 01000418, listed April 25, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2121 Harper Ave., SW, Lenoir |
|---|---|
| County | Caldwell County |
| Listed | April 25, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000418 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1932-1934 |
| Architect / builder | Lyons, Leslie McDonald; Lyons, Clarence Manleth; Lyons, Earl Jones (stonemasons) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Section 6 lists the current function as vacant/not in use and commerce/professional; the significance text says it is now used as business offices of a surveying firm. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.89847, -81.56527 (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 01000418.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18154134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.