DeGraffenreidt-Johnson House
Why it's listed
Built about 1850 for planter John Baker DeGraffenreidt, this two-story, three-bay frame house once anchored a large Chatham County plantation. Its low hipped roof, pilastered corner posts, molded door and window surrounds, and distinctive wedge-shaped modillions mark it as vernacular Greek Revival. Octagonal posts support the front porch, and the central-hall interior has paneled double doors, a ceiling medallion, an enclosed-string stair with an octagonal newel, and heavy pilastered mantels. The house closely matches the William P. Hadley House nearby, suggesting a single craftsman built both. DeGraffenreidt, a descendant of the founder of New Bern, owned over 100 slaves in 1860, and the family ranked among the county's wealthiest planters. He faced financial trouble after the Civil War, and the property later passed through several families before the Johnson family took it near 1900. A board-and-batten barn and cabin, probably nineteenth century, remain nearby.
Significance in brief: The house is a thoroughgoing example of vernacular Greek Revival domestic architecture and is nearly an identical twin of the William P. Hadley House, suggesting the same craftsman built both. It is also tied to the DeGraffenreidt family, wealthy Chatham County planters, and to the large plantation system of agriculture in central North Carolina.
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 85001452, listed July 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1346, Silk Hope |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | July 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001452 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked occupied and in use as a private residence and agriculture; the form describes later additions to the rear and west sides that did not compromise its Greek Revival character. |
| Acreage | 54 |
| Coordinates | 35.77699, -79.30382 (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 85001452.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18149277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.