Wilkinson-Dozier House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame farmhouse in the Conetoe area of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, is a late Federal plantation house raised on brick piers, with exterior chimneys laid in Flemish bond. Its most striking feature is a tall double portico with slender columns and a light Chinese Chippendale lattice balustrade, a design the nomination describes as unusual in the state. Inside, the north and south rooms hold elaborate mantels covered in reeded ornament, including spiral-reeded colonnettes, sunburst motifs and a fan design, along with paneled wainscots and eight-panel doors. Local tradition places construction around 1826 for Silas Wilkinson, though his father Joshua, who died in 1818, may have built it earlier. Frederick Jones bought the estate in 1836, and the Dozier family, descended from Jones, held the house until 1973. Later rear and side additions exist, but most original fabric survives, and a 1974 restoration for use as a residence was under way.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an excellent example of the sophisticated vernacular late Federal architecture of early nineteenth-century eastern North Carolina. It is distinguished by an unusual two-tier portico with a simplified Chinese Chippendale balustrade and by lavish reeded Adamesque interior woodwork.
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 74001348, listed October 23, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Tarboro off SR 1524, Conetoe |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Listed | October 23, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001348 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1815 to 1830 |
| Architectural style | Late Federal (Adamesque interior woodwork) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered, with later additions at the rear and north side; the owner was restoring it for use as a home in 1974. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 35.86459, -77.43664 (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 74001348.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711690
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.