South Trade Street Houses
Why it's listed
Three brick houses stand in a row on South Trade Street in Winston-Salem, on land that was once part of the Moravian town of Salem. The Sussdorf House dates from 1838-39, the Ackerman House from 1856 and the Patterson House from 1857. Each is two stories, laid in four-to-one common bond, with later frame additions at the rear and Victorian porches added to the earlier ones. Spaced about 60 feet apart and set close to the street, they form a consistent streetscape that differs from the tightly packed layout of older Salem. Their significance rests on their role in Salem's first geographic and industrial expansion, on their architecture after the Pennsylvania-German building period, and on their early residents: landscape gardener and musician Christian Friedrich Sussdorf, and mill men Edwin Ackerman and Rufus Lenoir Patterson, who was also mayor of Salem. The Patterson House was being rehabilitated for mixed office and residential use at the time of listing.
Significance in brief: The houses are rare survivals of the period when the Moravian town of Salem expanded geographically and industrially. Together they form an intact streetscape of the early to mid-nineteenth century. Their architecture shows the shift away from Pennsylvania-German influenced building toward popular fashion, and their first occupants were prominent in Salem's civic and industrial life.
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 78001953, listed December 11, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 434, 440, and 448 S. Trade St., Winston-Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | December 11, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001953 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Pennsylvania-inspired Moravian building tradition with Greek Revival interior woodwork |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Community Planning and Development, Architecture, Social History, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Sussdorf and Ackerman houses in fair condition and altered; Patterson House in good condition, undergoing rehabilitation for a dentist's office downstairs with a dwelling above. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.08916, -80.24561 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78001953.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21016206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.