Grandy, Caleb, House
Why it's listed
Near Belcross in Camden County, North Carolina, the Caleb Grandy House is a small story-and-a-half frame dwelling with a hall-and-parlor plan, built in the middle to late 1780s. Massive paved, double-shouldered chimneys stand at the gable ends, and the front doorway sits off-center, features typical of early tidewater homes. A brick in the rear chimney bears the date 1787, when Grandy expanded the house with a shed addition. Grandy was a large landowner who served as a representative, commissioner and sheriff in early Camden County. The house later passed through many owners, including architect Frank Dawson, who restored it in the 1940s. Some finish materials are replacements, but the form, plan and chimneys remain intact. It is recognized as one of very few late eighteenth-century houses of its type left in a county that has lost most of its earliest architecture. The property may also hold archaeological evidence of earlier daily life.
Significance in brief: The house is one of very few small, typical late eighteenth-century story-and-a-half hall-and-parlor plan dwellings left in Camden County, which has lost most of its earliest buildings. It is also tied to Caleb Grandy, a prominent planter who served as representative, commissioner and sheriff. The site may also yield information about late eighteenth and nineteenth century lifestyles.
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 82003439, listed April 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off SR 1145, Belcross |
|---|---|
| County | Camden County |
| Listed | April 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003439 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799 |
| Architect / builder | Built by Caleb Grandy; restored in the 1940s by architect Frank Dawson |
| Architectural style | Late Georgian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; described as in excellent condition and restored in the 1940s, with later alterations and additions. |
| Acreage | 57.3 |
| Coordinates | 36.35168, -76.16586 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 82003439.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18151011
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.