Blades House
Why it's listed
Completed in 1903 at 602 Middle Street in New Bern, the Blades House is a two-and-a-half-story frame Queen Anne dwelling on a brick foundation. Its exterior is a lively mix of turrets, bow and bay windows, round-headed and circular dormers and paneled chimney stacks, wrapped by a one-story porch with Corinthian columns. Inside, about thirty-eight rooms surround a central stair hall with a massive brick fireplace and a grand staircase. Woodwork includes walnut, mahogany, birds-eye maple and carved oak, and much of the original furniture remains. Lumber executive W. B. Blades hired Herbert W. Simpson, better known then as an undertaker, to design it, and his companies supplied pine, mahogany, oak and maple. The house reflects New Bern's lumber boom around 1900. It is the only survivor of three large Queen Anne mansions built in the city and is still lived in by the family for whom it was built.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a tour de force of the Queen Anne style, with woodwork craftsmanship that has few equals. It is the only survivor of three large Queen Anne mansions built in New Bern. It also reflects the city's lumber-driven economic boom around 1900.
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 72000934, listed January 14, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 602 Middle St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | January 14, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000934 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Herbert W. Simpson (architect); lumber supplied by the Blades companies |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and still used as a residence by the family for whom it was built. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.11118, -77.03880 (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 72000934.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4923764
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.