Westlawn
Why it's listed
Westlawn is a two-story frame Greek Revival country house on Fort Bragg Road in Fayetteville, completed in 1858 for banker and merchant John D. Williams. It is attributed to the Vaughn brothers, Ruffin and Christopher, prominent local builders, and reflects their early work. The house has a double-pile center-hall plan, a hip roof, a five-bay front porch with Doric columns, and a western study wing with sawn brackets. Inside are fluted surrounds, molded plaster cornices, a mahogany stair and a marble parlor mantel. A frame smokehouse with a cupola is the only surviving outbuilding. Williams led Fayetteville's first bank, held many business and civic posts, and died at the house in 1895 after the Panic of 1893 ruined him financially. Later owners included a dentist and a physician before First Christian Church bought it in 1951 and made it its educational building. The property is listed as a well preserved antebellum house tied to Williams and the Vaughns.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of Fayetteville's best preserved antebellum Greek Revival country houses and an example of the Vaughn brothers' early building forms. It is also tied to John D. Williams, a leading banker, merchant and civic figure. It is argued to be associated with Fayetteville's antebellum and Reconstruction development and likely to yield information about mid-nineteenth century life on the city's outskirts.
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 80002815, listed September 22, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1505 Fort Bragg Rd., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | September 22, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002815 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1858) |
| Architect / builder | Ruffin & Christopher Vaughn |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; the house is used as the educational building of First Christian Church, which acquired it in 1951. Condition is marked good and altered. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.05945, -78.90588 (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 80002815.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18217682
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.