Adoniram Masonic Lodge
Why it's listed
Adoniram Masonic Lodge No. 149 is a two-story frame building in Cornwall, Granville County, built in 1917 after lightning destroyed an earlier lodge on nearly the same site. Its form resembles the many I-houses raised in the county during the bright leaf tobacco era, but a four-bay facade, enclosed porch end bays and a downstairs divided into two equal rooms show its public purpose. The ground floor served as a public school until the early 1920s, while the Masons met upstairs in a large lodge room with a side hall and preparation room. The Masons bought the building in 1928 and moved it a few hundred yards in 1948 when the Cornwall Road was rerouted. In the early 1970s the upstairs was paneled over. The lodge is valued as a local example of the social and educational life of rural Granville County between 1917 and 1937, and the Masons still use the upper floor.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the lodge represents the social and educational life of rural Granville County in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its I-house form is typical of the county but unusual for North Carolina Masonic lodges, and its interior plan and porch reveal its non-residential purpose. The significance period ends in 1937 because later history is not considered exceptionally important.
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 88001253, listed August 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NC 1410 and NC 1300, Cornwall |
|---|---|
| County | Granville County |
| Listed | August 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001253 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1917-1937 |
| Architectural style | Other: I-house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The Masons still use the upstairs as a lodge; the downstairs, occasionally rented as a dwelling since 1924, is now vacant. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 36.47992, -78.66579 (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 88001253.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460108
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.