Mendenhall, Richard, Plantation Buildings
Why it's listed
Jamestown, in Guilford County, North Carolina, is the setting for this brick farmhouse, completed in 1811 probably by Richard Mendenhall, son of the founder of the town. The two-story house has Flemish bond brickwork, now painted white, a full-length two-tier front porch, segmental-arched openings and a hall-and-parlor plan with Greek Revival mantels. A kitchen wing, a shed addition and a stone-walled Pennsylvania German-type barn stand with it, along with a brick well house that encloses a small yard. Richard Mendenhall was a state legislator in 1805 and 1806, and the house became a meeting place for people interested in learning and philosophical and religious questions. Its association with the Friends School at New Garden, later Guilford College, adds to its importance. The complex is valued as a largely intact example of Quaker building in North Carolina, and it is considered probably unique in the state as a group together with the nearby store and meeting house.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm complex is a rare and essentially intact survival of the Pennsylvania-influenced farm buildings built by Quaker settlers in this part of North Carolina. The house is presented as an excellent example of austere Quaker brick architecture with segmental-arched openings. Together with the nearby Mendenhall Store and Quaker Meeting House, the buildings are described as a compact, complete collection probably unique in the state. The house was also a gathering place for learning and the homestead had a tannery.
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 72000964, listed November 3, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 29, Jamestown |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | November 3, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000964 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1849 |
| Architectural style | Quaker architecture; Pennsylvania German type barn |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Original site, unaltered east side; in private ownership |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Within district | Jamestown Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 35.99285, -79.94872 (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 72000964.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711611
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.