Rose Hill
Why it's listed
Rose Hill is a two-story, double-pile Greek Revival brick dwelling set on a farm estate in northern Granville County, North Carolina. Its walls are five-course common bond brick, with triangular pediments over the six-over-six windows and a front entry framed by leaded glass circles and triangles. Inside, the center hall and flanking rooms keep Greek Revival finishes, including fluted surrounds with bull's-eye cornerblocks, post and lintel mantels, and a crossetted mantel in the west parlor. According to family tradition, enslaved workers made the bricks and built the house in 1834, and a deed from 1830 is probably the original conveyance for the land. The property is significant as the county's only surviving antebellum brick plantation house and as an example of Greek Revival style. Its tobacco barns, a striphouse, a packhouse and a turn-of-the-century tenant house add to its importance as a bright leaf tobacco farm. The period of significance closes in 1937.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the sole surviving plantation-era brick dwelling in Granville County and a well-maintained, little-altered example of Greek Revival design. Its construction materials, layout and interior finishes are said to show close ties to Virginia. Its surrounding tobacco outbuildings and tenant house are cited as evidence of its role as the center of a bright leaf tobacco farm.
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 88000415, listed April 28, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NC 1442, Grassy Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Granville County |
| Listed | April 28, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000415 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | circa 1834-1937 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The property has been in use as a traditional bright leaf tobacco farm within the past 50 years and has been restored in the interior by its owners. |
| Acreage | 50 |
| Coordinates | 36.52309, -78.60846 (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 88000415.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711644
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.