Campbell, James Archibald, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 on the edge of Buies Creek, North Carolina, this one-and-one-half story frame house was the home of James Archibald Campbell, founder of Buies Creek Academy, which became Campbell College. The house grew through several additions made during his lifetime. It has a hip-roofed main block, two projecting front pavilions with pyramidal roofs and false gables, circular louvered vents, and a shed porch with turned posts. From the start it served as a community center for the school, housing boarding students, hosting commencement speakers, and anchoring graduation festivities. Campbell led the academy through a destructive 1900 fire and its growth into a junior college, renamed for him in 1926, and remained president until his death in 1934. His sons Leslie and Carlyle also became college presidents. The college acquired the house in 1943. It was later unused, with plans to convert it to a museum, and it was moved a short distance in 1965 for highway widening.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the history of Campbell College, which grew from Buies Creek Academy, founded by James A. Campbell in 1887. It served as a social and community center for students and was the home of Campbell, whose two sons also became college presidents. The nomination also notes a picturesque design with projecting pavilions and repeated gables.
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 77001001, listed November 17, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | U.S. 421, Buies Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Harnett County |
| Listed | November 17, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001001 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1891-1934 |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is owned by Campbell College and was not in use at the time of nomination; plans were under consideration to restore it as a history museum. It was moved a few feet back from the road in 1965 for highway widening, and a later boundary revision approved in 1979 allowed a further move of about 150 feet within the original lot. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.40783, -78.74968 (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 77001001.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460784
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.