Shaw House
Also known as: Cupola House
Why it's listed
Rising above the flat farmland of Shawboro, this two-story house is known locally as the Cupola House for the square tower on its third level. Built in the second half of the 1880s for attorney William B. Shaw, it combines Italianate details, including bracketed boxed cornices, enriched door and window heads and a sawnwork-trimmed porch, with a basically boxy vernacular form. In a county where most dwellings were simple and functional, its stylish ambitions made it a landmark and the area's only Italianate Victorian house. Shaw was the son of Colonel Henry Marchmore Shaw, a Confederate officer killed in 1864 and honored in the name of the town. The Shaws struggled financially, and ownership changed often until 1936. The house still sits on 60 acres of the original farm, with outbuildings and a barn. Aluminum siding has altered the exterior, though the trim and Italianate character remain, and the interior keeps its walnut staircase.
Significance in brief: The house is one of Currituck County's few high-style vernacular houses and its only Italianate Victorian house, standing out in a county of modest, vernacular architecture. It is also associated with the locally prominent Shaw family, descendants of Colonel Henry Marchmore Shaw, for whom Shawboro was named. The nomination also notes the likelihood of archeological remains that could yield information on late nineteenth century farm life.
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 80002820, listed April 17, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 34 and SR 1203, Shawboro |
|---|---|
| County | Currituck County |
| Listed | April 17, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002820 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William B. Shaw (builder); designer anonymous |
| Architectural style | Italianate with Italian Villa type tower |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; renovated, with aluminum siding applied to the exterior to stop rainwater leaks. |
| Acreage | 60 |
| Coordinates | 36.40862, -76.08993 (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 80002820.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18217295
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.