Coats House
Why it's listed
Set on a wooded lot in a developing commercial area of Tarboro, this two-story brick house follows the "English Cottage" style popularized by Andrew Jackson Downing's style books. Its features include a hip roof with wide overhang and rafter brackets, centered gables on all four sides, four chimneys and a cupola. Small grated vents between the floors were meant to ventilate the structural members. Inside, the first floor has a center-hall plan, while the second floor is organized around two crossing halls that light the space through arched gable windows. Thomas H. Coats, a builder who also executed William Percival's designs for Calvary Episcopal Church in Tarboro, First Baptist Church in Raleigh and buildings at the University of North Carolina, bought the land in 1860. The house was likely finished by the early 1860s and was sold to Willie Walston in 1867. It is valued as a rare brick example of its style and for its link to Coats.
Significance in brief: It is one of the few examples in the state of the picturesque "English Cottage" style executed in brick. Its ventilation system and the unusual second-floor plan are of particular interest. It is also historically significant for its connection with Thomas Coats, builder of a number of North Carolina's most important mid-nineteenth century buildings.
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 73001339, listed April 3, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1503 St. Andrews St., Tarboro |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Listed | April 3, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001339 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Thomas H. Coats (also spelled Coates), builder |
| Architectural style | English Cottage |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and used as a private residence; a brick kitchen and frame smokehouse stand to the rear. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.90709, -77.53831 (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 73001339.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461063
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.