Rudisill-Wilson House
Why it's listed
A two-story frame dwelling with a central hall plan stands in Catawba County, North Carolina, its facade shaded by a shed porch with late nineteenth century brackets and turned posts. The house has a high stone foundation, brick chimneys laid in Flemish bond, and nine-over-nine sash on the first floor. Inside, the hall and parlors retain Federal woodwork, including a three-part mantel with sunburst reliefs in the south parlor and original door hardware. Michael Rudisill, a German-descended settler, is associated with its construction, and by 1821 the tax records show it as his home. Ezekiel Wilson bought the tract in 1855, and the house took the Wilson family name and remained with them until 1949. It is valued for its early date in the county and the unusually intact interior detail for the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the earliest in Catawba County and is notable for retaining original fabric, including hardware and interior Federal trim. Its architectural detail is described as unusually sophisticated for the up-country area. It was the residence of the Rudisill and later Wilson families.
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 73001315, listed August 14, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Newton off NC 10, Newton |
|---|---|
| County | Catawba County |
| Listed | August 14, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001315 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still held in private ownership and remains in its original site; the document notes the family lived in it until 1949 and the shed-room chimneys were recently removed. |
| Acreage | 9.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.61624, -81.25620 (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 73001315.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18157586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.