Elmwood Plantation
Why it's listed
Elmwood Plantation, near Gatesville in Gates County, is a rural Federal-style house built about 1822 by David Parker, son of early county settler Joseph Parker. The side-hall dwelling has beaded weatherboards, a modillion cornice, and a large sunburst lunette in the north gable. Inside, a transverse arch with reeded pilasters divides the hall, and a heavy, vernacular main stair rises in four flights with wave brackets on the treads. A two-story wing at the rear repeats the main block's details. Behind the house stands a small gambrel-roof kitchen with a massive brick chimney and a brick potato house, thought to be the only one of its kind in North Carolina. Parker's holdings grew from 235 acres in 1822 to 685 acres by 1855. His son James Parker, a state senator and university trustee, later farmed the property. The house has remained largely unaltered apart from a twentieth-century front porch.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls Elmwood an excellent, well-preserved rural example of the Federal side-hall plan. It is notable for its vernacular detailing, especially an unusual heavy main stair. The gambrel-roof kitchen is described as perhaps the only one of its kind in North Carolina.
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 72000963, listed February 1, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Gatesville near jct. of SR 1400 and NC 37, Gatesville |
|---|---|
| County | Gates County |
| Listed | February 1, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000963 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | David Parker |
| Architectural style | Federal side-hall plan (rural vernacular) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; altered only by a twentieth-century front shed porch; occupied as a private residence, with preservation work in progress. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 36.39393, -76.69915 (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 72000963.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711562
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.