Hoyle House
Also known as: Hieyl,Pieter,Homeplace
Why it's listed
Overlooking the South Fork of the Catawba River in Gaston County, this two-story weatherboarded house preserves rare German-American building methods. The main block, probably late eighteenth century though family tradition suggests earlier, has heavy timber framing with pegged horizontal log infill, down braces at the corners, an eave kick and a triangular interior chimney. Around 1810 Andrew Hoyle updated it with beaded siding, larger windows, molded trim, a cornice with punched dentils, a front porch and paneled walnut interiors with Federal mantels. A log rear ell was added in the mid-nineteenth century and later raised to two stories. Hoyle, known as Rich Andrew, became the wealthiest man in the county, operated stores, held mining and forge interests and served as the first postmaster in the area, with the Hoylesville Post Office nearby. The house is now vacant. A family foundation organized in 1991 acquired it with almost nine acres, intending restoration.
Significance in brief: The house shows distinctive German-American heavy timber and log-infill construction, later refined with Georgian and Federal finishes around 1810. It was the homeplace of Andrew Hoyle, a wealthy landowner, merchant and first postmaster in present Gaston County, and it reflects the early Hoyle family settlement of the area.
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 93001140, listed October 21, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NC 275 S side, 1400 ft. SW of S. Fork of Catawba R., Dallas |
|---|---|
| County | Gaston County |
| Listed | October 21, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001140 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Andrew Hoyle (credited with the ca. 1810 remodelling) |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Federal |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as vacant/not in use; a family foundation bought the house and about 8.95 acres in 1991 and planned a careful restoration. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 35.32689, -81.13777 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 93001140.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7174759
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.