Davie County Jail
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Near the center of Mocksville, a two-story brick building at 20 South Main Street served as the Davie County Jail from about 1839 until 1909. Laid in Flemish bond on a stone foundation, it has a gable roof of standing seam tin, a three-bay facade with a central four-panel door and transom, and a center-hall plan one room deep. Henry R. Austin was architect-builder of both the jail and the since-destroyed courthouse, built under one contract financed by a bond issue. Davie County was formed in 1836, and Mocksville was incorporated in 1839, so the jail's history parallels the county's own beginnings. In 1909 the county traded the old jail and lot toward a new jail site, and the property later became a private residence. A later owner restored the exterior and first floor and renovated the second floor for living space. It is regarded as a local landmark.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the jail is of considerable local significance because its history parallels that of Davie County since its founding. It is also valued as an important Mocksville landmark with handsome Flemish bond brickwork. It is described as sturdy and well maintained.
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 73001335, listed April 24, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 20 S. Main St., Mocksville |
|---|---|
| County | Davie County |
| Listed | April 24, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001335 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1839?) |
| Architect / builder | Henry R. Austin (architect-builder) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and altered; the exterior and first floor have been restored and the second floor renovated as a residence. Listed as a private residence, and marked unoccupied on the form. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.89319, -80.56062 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 73001335.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18350718
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.