Bell-Sherrod House
Why it's listed
Facing the railroad tracks on Enfield's Railroad Street, this two-story frame house was built about 1859 by David Barnes Bell, a farmer and cotton broker. Its plain, box-like Greek Revival form has a hip roof, a central hall with four rooms on each floor, and sawn scroll brackets under the cornice. An ornate Italianate porch with lattice, gingerbread trim and spindle railing contrasts with the restrained main block, and a hand-painted floral ceiling medallion survives in the first-floor hall. Bell's son, a lawyer, lived here later, and in 1909 William L. Sherrod, a wealthy landowner, bought the house. Sherrod's heirs kept it until 1985. Changes included a conservatory added about 1915, rear porch rooms, Colonial Revival mantels from about 1910, and apartments in the 1940s. The house is valued as a well-preserved reminder of Enfield's rise as an agricultural trade center before the Civil War. Restoration began in 1987.
Significance in brief: The house reflects agricultural, socio-economic and architectural trends in Enfield from about 1859 to 1920. It is tied to the town's growth as a trade center on the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad and to prosperous owners Bell and William L. Sherrod. It is a well-preserved, unusually decorative vernacular example of Greek Revival and Italianate styles.
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 88002027, listed October 20, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 207 SE Railroad St., Enfield |
|---|---|
| County | Halifax County |
| Listed | October 20, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002027 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1859-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as 'work in progress'; restoration began after a 1987 purchase, following conversion to apartments in the 1940s. Plans call for a residence, bed and breakfast and antique shop. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Enfield Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.17833, -77.66791 (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 88002027.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460454
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.