Haley, John, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1786 by John Haley, a Quaker blacksmith, this small one-story brick house on East Lexington Avenue in High Point is believed to be the oldest dwelling in the city. Its walls are laid in Flemish bond with glazed headers over a stone foundation, and segmental arches top every opening. A circular stone in the west gable carries the date 1786 and the initials of Phebe and John Haley. Inside, the Quaker plan places a large parlor to the east and two smaller rooms to the west, with exposed beaded ceiling beams and corner fireplaces. Haley received the land as a state grant in 1779 and later served the county as sheriff, road commissioner and court clerk. The house sat on the New Salisbury Road, now Lexington Avenue, and became a local landmark. Innkeeper Jonathan Welch kept an ordinary there from about 1838, and the Welch family held it until 1943. The city bought it in 1966, and the High Point Historical Commission restored it.
Significance in brief: Believed to be the oldest dwelling in High Point, it is a fine example of Quaker architecture. It is considered essential to interpreting Moravian and Quaker influence on the architecture of piedmont North Carolina. Its position on the New Salisbury Road also made it a local landmark.
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 71000587, listed August 26, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1805 E. Lexington Ave., High Point |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | August 26, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000587 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1786 |
| Architect / builder | John Haley |
| Architectural style | Quaker architecture (Quaker plan) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of High Point since 1966; restored by the High Point Historical Commission; condition listed as excellent and used as a museum. |
| Acreage | 4.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.98041, -79.99477 (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 71000587.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.