Spurgeon House
Why it's listed
Set in the Abbott's Creek area near High Point in Davidson County, North Carolina, the Spurgeon House is a two-story frame farmhouse whose central core is traditionally dated to about 1845. The original block has two rooms on each floor and an enclosed stair, with flat-paneled wainscoting and late Federal mantels. A two-story wing was added around 1900 at the southeast corner, and a further wing on the north side may be older. The house is surrounded by a group of outbuildings ranging from a possibly early kitchen and spring house to smokehouse and chickenhouse built around 1900. Its interior is regarded as largely intact, and several original pieces are attributed to the cabinetmaker John Swicegood. The property is significant for its architecture, for its ties to the locally prominent Spurgeon family, and for what it shows of mid-nineteenth-century piedmont farm life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a significant example of vernacular piedmont North Carolina architecture with late Federal and Greek Revival woodwork, with a largely intact interior and furnishings including pieces by cabinetmaker John Swicegood. It also cites the locally prominent Spurgeon family, whose members included a state senator, and the outbuildings as evidence of mid-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 83001877, listed April 20, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of High Point, High Point |
|---|---|
| County | Davidson County |
| Listed | April 20, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001877 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1845-1900 |
| Architectural style | Late Federal and Greek Revival (vernacular) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition with original site, with some outbuildings deteriorated; in the description, the house is stated to be in fine preservation. |
| Acreage | 10 |
| Coordinates | 35.98754, -80.08824 (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 83001877.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18392491
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.