Smith-Whitford House
Why it's listed
Located at 506 Craven Street in New Bern, this two-story frame house began as a late Georgian center-hall dwelling, two rooms deep, probably built soon after Henry Smith bought the lot in 1772. Colonel John D. Whitford credited the design to carpenter James Coor, whose own house stood nearby. After Smith family ownership ended in 1782, the property passed through several owners and returned to the Smiths in 1828. The Whitford family acquired it in 1875. Colonel Whitford, a local historian and president of the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, added the recessed Victorian entrance, the altered front gable and a delicate sawn-work side porch. Inside, much of the original Georgian trim survives, including mantels, paneled wainscot and a closed-string stair. The house is valued as a fine Georgian building whose later changes were each made in the best taste of their time. Together they form an unusually harmonious blend of two periods, and the house is also linked to a prominent chronicler of New Bern life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a fine Georgian building whose later changes, each made in the style of its own era, blend into a harmonious whole. It is also tied to Colonel John D. Whitford, a New Bern historian and railroad president who lived there. The design is credited by Whitford to James Coor.
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 72000950, listed April 13, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 506 Craven St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | April 13, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000950 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | James Coor (design credited by Colonel John D. Whitford); probably built by Henry Smith |
| Architectural style | Georgian with Victorian alterations |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; altered, on its original site; occupied as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.11004, -77.03734 (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 72000950.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158142
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.