Lawrence, John P., Plantation
Why it's listed
Set on a rise behind a grove of trees near Grissom, this former plantation seat in Granville County covers about 8.5 acres. The two-story, T-plan timber frame house, probably built in the 1840s by planter John P. Lawrence and his wife Frances, sits over a brick-walled basement and keeps its original porches, fluted corner posts and low hipped roofs. Inside, the stair hall and one upstairs bedroom display marbleized woodwork, and the downstairs rooms retain fluted surrounds, two-panel doors and post and lintel mantels. Behind the house stand an antebellum kitchen and smokehouse, a gambrel-roofed stable and a corn crib from the bright leaf tobacco era. In front is a one-room private schoolhouse from the late nineteenth century. The property is regarded as the best-preserved former plantation seat in the county and as a record of planter and tobacco-farming life. It has never left the Lawrence family, and its period of significance runs from the 1840s to 1937.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the house and its outbuildings are the finest examples of Greek Revival design and workmanship in the county. They also illustrate the way of life of wealthy planters and the later bright leaf tobacco growers. The house is virtually unaltered and has exceptional marbleized woodwork.
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 88001264, listed August 31, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 1700, Grissom |
|---|---|
| County | Granville County |
| Listed | August 31, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88001264 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1840s-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by John P. and Frances Lawrence) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling and for agriculture; the property has remained in the Lawrence family. |
| Acreage | 8.5 |
| Coordinates | 36.11564, -78.59164 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 88001264.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711597
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.