Sandy Point
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Why it's listed
Sandy Point is a weatherboarded frame plantation house standing alone on the flat shore of the Albemarle Sound near Edenton. It rises two stories plus an attic and has a two-tiered porch across its south front, a feature typical of the Albemarle region. James Sutton probably built the original side-hall house around 1810. In the 1830s and 1840s Thomas Benbury, Jr., a wealthy planter from one of Chowan County's oldest families, enlarged it into a center-hall dwelling with Greek Revival details. The western two-thirds remains Federal in style, and the interior shows late Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival mantels and trim. Surrounding buildings include a possible original kitchen, a smokehouse, twentieth-century farm buildings and four abandoned tenant houses, reflecting the shift from plantation to modern farm. The property is significant for its architecture, its link to Benbury, and its record of plantation society and its postwar decline. It has remained in the Wood family since 1892.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that Sandy Point represents the large plantation houses built in the Albemarle Sound region in the first half of the nineteenth century, mixing late Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival details. It is tied to the antebellum plantation society of the area and to planter Thomas Benbury, Jr. The nomination also states it is likely to yield information about nineteenth-century plantation life.
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 85000875, listed April 25, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off NC 32 East of NC 1114, Edenton |
|---|---|
| County | Chowan County |
| Listed | April 25, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000875 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Builder unknown; probably built by James Sutton; enlarged by Thomas Benbury, Jr. |
| Architectural style | Federal and Greek Revival, with late Georgian and transitional details |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, and occupied as a private residence on a working farm; the old kitchen is severely dilapidated and four tenant houses are abandoned. |
| Acreage | 160 |
| Coordinates | 36.01077, -76.52041 (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 85000875.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18354670
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.