Stone, Joseph B., House
Also known as: Stone-Fearrington House
Why it's listed
Set on a knoll about half a mile east of the New Hope River in Chatham County, this two-story frame house was built in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century as a piedmont plantation dwelling. Its single-pile center-hall plan, Federal-style end chimneys and Georgian mantels give it a blend of two styles in a local vernacular. The front entrance is its most unusual feature, with single and double-leaf doors set in a wall of oiled panelling beneath the porch roof. Inside, heavy wainscot and sheathing remain unpainted. Joseph B. Stone, a planter who in 1860 owned 19 slaves and over 1,200 acres, lived here and helped found the New Hope Academy. His descendants, the Fearringtons, kept the house into the twentieth century; Ex. Fearrington added a rear kitchen ell and a barn. The property was later restored, and an eighteenth-century house was moved onto the site. It is listed for its architectural integrity and its link to the local plantation economy.
Significance in brief: The house is an unusually intact example of vernacular architecture combining Georgian and Federal elements in a local idiom. It is notable for its panelled front entrance wall with both single and double-leaf doors and for largely unpainted original woodwork. It is also tied to the antebellum plantation economy of the piedmont and to the locally prominent Stone and Fearrington 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 82003440, listed June 1, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1008, Farrington |
|---|---|
| County | Chatham County |
| Listed | June 1, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003440 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian-Federal transitional vernacular (I-house form) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and restored in 1969; occupied as a private residence, with plans to use it as a showplace for antiques. |
| Acreage | 3.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.77988, -79.00660 (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 82003440.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158507
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.