Rives, William Alston, House
Why it's listed
Set at the end of a rural road near Goldston, this two-story frame house is considered one of the oldest in Gulf Township and one of the best preserved early nineteenth century houses in Chatham County. It rests on a stone foundation and has a three-bay facade, nine-over-nine windows, a box cornice, and stone chimneys with brick stacks. The western chimney has a stone double shoulder that is seldom found in the county. Inside, a hall and parlor plan combines Georgian detailing with wide flushboard walls, six-panel doors, and an enclosed stair. Outbuildings and a family cemetery lie to the west. The house was probably built between 1825 and 1840 and was likely occupied after 1840 by William Alston Rives (1803-1883), who owned twenty-five slaves by 1860 and kept a large farm after the Civil War. It was listed for its architecture, its link to Rives, and its place in the area's farming history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a remarkably intact and substantial early farmhouse showing the traditional style and finish of early 19th century rural vernacular architecture in North Carolina. It is also tied to William Alston Rives, a large landowner in southern Chatham County, and to the settlement and large-scale farming of the area.
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 85001459, listed July 5, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | End of SR 2183 off SR 2187, Goldston |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | July 5, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001459 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1825-1840 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Georgian/Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in the form as unoccupied and vacant; condition checked as original site. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 35.62336, -79.30596 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 85001459.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18157383
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.