Crowell House
Why it's listed
A two-story Shingle Style frame cottage at 504 Watts Street in Durham, North Carolina, was built in 1891 by the builder T. S. Christian. Its painted yellow exterior is marked by a two-story octagonal tower with a conical roof, a steeply sloping overhanging roof, scalloped shingles on the upper story, German siding below, and Queen Anne style windows with multi-pane sashes. The house is associated with John Franklin Crowell, who served as president of Trinity College from 1887 to 1894. During that time he directed the college's move in 1892 from Randolph County to Durham, oversaw the construction of its new campus, and expanded its curriculum. He is credited with introducing intercollegiate football and with the adoption of Yale blue as the college color. Crowell later taught at Smith College and worked as an economist and statistician in Washington and New York, and he died in 1931.
Significance in brief: The form argues the house is significant for its association with John Franklin Crowell, president of Trinity College from 1887 to 1894, who directed the college's move to Durham in 1892 and is credited with introducing intercollegiate football and the college's Yale blue color. The house is also noted for its distinctive decorative stick trim and Queen Anne style windows.
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 79003332, listed November 29, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 504 Watts St., Durham |
|---|---|
| County | Durham County |
| Listed | November 29, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003332 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-1894 |
| Architect / builder | T. S. Christian (builder) |
| Architectural style | Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked as altered and moved on the form; a modern carport is at the rear. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.00622, -78.91106 (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 79003332.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461224
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.