Edgemont Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
This expansion adds roughly 174 resources to the Edgemont neighborhood on the east side of downtown Rocky Mount. It takes in the 500 to 800 blocks of Sycamore Street, Eastern Avenue, Marigold Street and School Street, plus part of Cokey Street. Most of the area was laid out with the original subdivision, with elongated blocks, service alleys and shade trees. The houses were built mainly for merchants, salesmen and railroad employees, and they show Craftsman bungalows, Foursquares, Tudor Revival and Period Cottage designs, and a few Colonial Revival homes. The southern blocks developed earlier and have smaller lots and more bungalows, while the northern blocks have larger lots with Period Cottages. The former Edgemont School, completed by 1914 in an eclectic Collegiate Gothic and Classical Revival style, anchors the southwest entrance and now houses the county judicial center. Of 174 resources, 148 contribute to the district's character, and the area was added for its neighborhood history and architecture.
Significance in brief: The expansion extends the original district with a cohesive group of early twentieth-century houses built for less affluent merchants, salesmen and Atlantic Coast Line Railroad employees. It is argued significant for its neighborhood development (Criterion A) and its well-preserved range of popular architectural styles (Criterion C). The former Edgemont School is described as an outstanding civic landmark.
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 02000989, listed September 14, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Cokey Rd., George St., Eastern Ave., Edgewood St., and School St., Rocky Mount |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Listed | September 14, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000989 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Luther D. Harper, general contractor and developer of the Edgemont subdivision (named as occupant of 700 Sycamore Street) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Period Cottage, Foursquare, Ranch |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The expansion area is still used for single and multiple dwellings, and the former Edgemont School serves as the Rocky Mount Judicial Center. Of 174 resources, 148 are contributing. |
| Acreage | 21 |
| Coordinates | 35.93813, -77.78702 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 02000989.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461534
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.