Model Farm
Also known as: Swarthmore Farm
Why it's listed
Built in 1867, this farmhouse on Brentwood Street in High Point was the centerpiece of the Model Farm, established by the Baltimore Association of Friends to teach Southern Quakers and other farmers modern agricultural methods after the Civil War. The farm demonstrated soil reclamation, animal husbandry and clover cultivation, and by 1871 more than 1,000 visitors had come to observe its techniques. The Quakers owned it until 1891, when it was sold to Duncan White. The Clodfelter family later ran a dairy there from 1910 to the early 1940s. The house is a two-and-a-half-story, weatherboarded, L-plan frame building with a triple-A roof, three gables that became a popular North Carolina form. Interior features include Greek Revival-style mantels and a largely intact original floor plan. The original 200 acres have shrunk to about two acres surrounded by commercial and industrial development. The house is currently vacant, and a deteriorated brick-and-stone foundation and a 1920s-1930s outbuilding remain on the lot.
Significance in brief: The farm was set up by the Baltimore Association of Friends to teach Southern farmers modern methods of soil reclamation, animal husbandry and crop production after the Civil War. The house is also an early example of an L-plan dwelling with a triple-A roof, a form later common in North Carolina.
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 11000208, listed April 20, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2058 Brentwood St, High Point |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | April 20, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000208 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1867-1891 |
| Architectural style | Other: L-Plan House (triple-A roof form) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The property is currently vacant, though it is still sporadically used for photo shoots. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 35.93874, -79.97937 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 11000208.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987141
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.