Hull, James Heyward, House
Why it's listed
Standing on a one-acre lot on North Lafayette Street in Shelby, this large two-story house began about 1874 as an Italianate home for Methodist minister Hilary T. Hudson. In 1907 cotton broker James Heyward Hull bought it and hired an architect, whose name is not documented, to remake it in the Neoclassical Revival style. The work added a monumental semi-elliptical portico with fluted Corinthian columns, flanking one-story porches with Doric columns, a deck-on-hip roof with modillion and dentil cornices, dormers, and a fully remodeled interior. Only a few Italianate features remain, including segmental-arched windows and a double-leaf front door. In the 1940s the family added a two-story rear wing, enclosed the south porch as a sunroom, and divided the house into a first-floor residence and upstairs apartments. A 1907 brick garage also survives. The house is valued as a well-preserved example of the style favored by Shelby's wealthy businessmen in the early twentieth century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an excellent example of a 1907 Neoclassical Revival dwelling in Shelby, one of several built around the turn of the century by prominent residents. The 1907 remodeling for cotton broker James Heyward Hull added a monumental portico, flanking porches and an ornate roof. The style is tied to wealthy industrialists of early twentieth century piedmont 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 03000338, listed May 1, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 710 N. Lafayette St., Shelby |
|---|---|
| County | Cleveland County |
| Listed | May 1, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000338 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (Neoclassical Revival; originally Italianate) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Converted to apartments in the 1940s; the form lists current function as multiple dwelling. The garage survives while other outbuildings are gone. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.30033, -81.53919 (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 03000338.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18152061
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.