Parker, James H., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1882 as a two-story, single-pile frame house on Franklin Street in Enfield, the Parker House is an Italianate residence set in a neighborhood of late nineteenth and early twentieth century dwellings. James Harvey Parker, a self-made landowner who had risen from modest beginnings, built it for his household during a period when Enfield was becoming a regional trading center. The exterior has chamfered porch posts with sawn brackets, pedimented window and door surrounds, and interior chimneys with corbelled caps. Inside, a curved walnut staircase rises in the rear of the central hall, and most of the rooms retain graining and marbleizing on woodwork and mantels. The house is significant as a leading example of a group of Italianate houses built in Enfield between 1875 and 1890, and for the decorative painting that remains largely intact. The property is being restored by a descendant of Parker.
Significance in brief: The house is regarded as a premier representative of a group of Italianate houses built in Enfield between 1875 and 1890, and is significant under Criterion C for architecture. Its interior features a walnut curved staircase, varied mantels, and graining and marbleized painting that survive in unusually intact condition in the town.
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 94000545, listed June 6, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 307 W. Franklin St., Enfield |
|---|---|
| County | Halifax County |
| Listed | June 6, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000545 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1882 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Being rehabilitated; the document states it was purchased in 1993 by a descendant of the builder and is being restored. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Enfield Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.18401, -77.66799 (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 94000545.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987456
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.