Central Orphanage
Why it's listed
Central Orphanage in Oxford, North Carolina, began in 1883 as a home for Black children and grew into an institution of statewide importance. Its surviving core is the Henry Plummer Cheatham Building, a two-story Italianate structure completed in 1915 with a three-and-a-half-story front tower, rounded-arch windows, bracketed hipped roofs and brick made on the grounds by the orphans. The first floor holds a cafeteria and the second an auditorium. Two smaller brick buildings also remain: a 1934 office and an L-shaped former smokehouse, both now used for storage. Cheatham, a former U.S. Representative born into slavery, served as superintendent from 1907 to 1935 and replaced the frame buildings with brick ones. The orphanage's dormitories were lost to fire or demolition in the 1940s and 1980s. The property was listed for its role in Black ethnic heritage and social history, and for the architecture of the Cheatham Building. It has continued its original function, now as the Central Children's Home.
Significance in brief: The Central Orphanage, founded in 1883, was a pioneer North Carolina black orphanage and Granville County's premier black institution. Its Cheatham Building is the county's finest early institutional building and finest Italianate building. The building is named for Henry Plummer Cheatham, a former U.S. Representative who served as superintendent from 1907 until his death in 1935 and oversaw construction of its brick buildings.
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 88001257, listed August 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Antioch Dr. and Raleigh Rd., Oxford |
|---|---|
| County | Granville County |
| Listed | August 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001257 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1937 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as an orphanage and children's home. The Cheatham Building's first floor is a cafeteria and the second floor an auditorium, with a state-funded renovation planned. The office and smokehouse are used for storage. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.29322, -78.57211 (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 88001257.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17515274
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.