Devane-MacQueen House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 near Grays Creek in southern Cumberland County, this two-story, five-bay frame farmhouse follows the Greek Revival country house tradition. It has a low hip roof, a double-pile central-hall plan, a three-bay front porch with slender square columns, and a central door with transom and sidelights. Inside are a straight enclosed stair, pine floors, four-panel doors and post-and-lintel mantels. Outbuildings remain, including a barn, smokehouse, chicken coop, tobacco barns and a former slave-turned-tenant house. The property was part of the farmland of Thomas DeVane, who held 1,600 acres in 1860, and passed in 1869 to Neill MacQueen. MacQueen farmed, operated a turpentine still and a grist mill, and later served as county sheriff until his death in 1888. His descendants have kept the house, and nearby fields are still cultivated. It was listed for its architecture and its link to the county's farm economy.
Significance in brief: The house is a well-preserved example of the mid-nineteenth-century Greek Revival country house in Cumberland County, with a double-pile central-hall plan, hip roof and characteristic door, window and mantel details. It is also tied to the area's traditional farm economy through its owners Thomas DeVane and, after 1869, Neill MacQueen, who farmed and ran a turpentine still and a grist mill.
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 83001849, listed July 21, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 87, Grays Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | July 21, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001849 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date ca. 1855) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence by a descendant of Neill MacQueen; the surrounding land is leased for farming. Floor plan largely intact with minor alterations. |
| Acreage | 26 |
| Coordinates | 34.88028, -78.84190 (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 83001849.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18206505
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.