Mulberry Hill
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Why it's listed
Overlooking Albemarle Sound southeast of Edenton, Mulberry Hill is a three-bay, two-and-one-half-story Federal brick house on a raised basement. It was apparently built around 1810 for Clement Hall Blount, on a plantation granted in 1684 to Colonel James Blount and held by the family for generations. The side-hall plan is more typical of town houses, particularly those of New Bern, and may have been modeled on a New Bern house Blount knew. The west gable end has a fanlight about eight feet across, said to be carved from a single piece of wood. Inside, Adamesque woodwork appears throughout, including sunbursts, swags, cable molding and a carved arch over the stair. Blount fell into debt and lost the property in 1829. Later owners included James Cathcart Johnston and the Wood family, and the house was once used to store tobacco. It was repaired in the 1940s, and its porches were rebuilt as copies of those at New Bern's Eli Smallwood House.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a handsome Federal house that uses a side-hall plan more common in town houses, notably in New Bern, in a rural setting. It has excellent brickwork and intricate Adamesque woodwork, including a large gable fanlight. It also stands on an early plantation that was the seat of the Blount family for several generations.
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 76001314, listed May 13, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Edenton on SR 1114, Edenton |
|---|---|
| County | Chowan County |
| Listed | May 13, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001314 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition; occupied as a private residence and kept in good condition. Porches were rebuilt as copies of those at the Eli Smallwood House in New Bern. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 36.01063, -76.53593 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 76001314.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18378074
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.