Cooke House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Southwest of Louisburg in Franklin County, this farmhouse combines a small, early one-story rear section with a larger two-story front block added about 1841 in the Greek Revival manner. The front section has a center-hall plan, brick end chimneys, a double-door entrance with sidelights, and a tripartite mantel with Empire overtones in the north parlor. The house was home to the Cooke family. Jones Cooke, a War of 1812 captain and county court chairman, married Jane Kingsbury, a Connecticut-born schoolteacher, in 1841, and the front portion is said to date from about that time. Their son Charles Mather Cooke served in the Civil War, then sat in the state senate and house, became secretary of state, and later served as a Superior Court judge. His Louisburg residence was demolished in 1974, leaving this homeplace as the only known site associated with him. Another son, Walter, practiced medicine locally.
Significance in brief: It was the homeplace of the Cooke family, who contributed to Franklin County history through military service in the War of 1812 and the Civil War, leadership in Baptist affairs, and local and state politics. Jones Cooke was a War of 1812 captain, and his son Charles Mather Cooke served as state legislator, secretary of state and Superior Court judge. It is the only known surviving site associated with Charles M. Cooke.
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 75001265, listed October 14, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Louisburg near jct. of SR 1114 and SR 1109, Louisburg |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | October 14, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001265 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Politics/Government, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as somewhat deteriorated and occupied by tenants for several decades; privately owned. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 36.05544, -78.33942 (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 75001265.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711549
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.