Melvin, Dr. Wayman C. House
Also known as: Jones, Elizabeth A., House
Why it's listed
Near Linden in rural Harnett County, North Carolina, this one-story frame house began around 1890 as a simple center-hall dwelling built by Elizabeth A. Jones, a widow and local postmistress. In 1902 her daughter Alda married Dr. Wayman C. Melvin, and the couple remodeled the house in the Queen Anne style. The update added a projecting gable bay, a dining room wing and a wraparound hip-roof porch with chamfered posts, spindle brackets, a matchstick frieze, a Chippendale-influenced railing and a conical corner pavilion. Dr. Melvin, born in 1875, practiced medicine in the Linden area from 1900 and was its only doctor. His small office and a cook's house or washhouse still stand behind the house. Few Queen Anne houses survive in Harnett County, and most are plainly detailed; this one is among the most ornate and intact. It is significant for its architecture, with a period of significance from about 1890 to about 1902.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant under Criterion C as an excellent, ornate and intact example of a Queen Anne cottage in rural Harnett County, where few examples of the style exist. A modest 1890 house was expanded and stylishly updated in 1902 by Dr. Wayman C. Melvin and his wife, Alda Jones Melvin.
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 07001375, listed January 9, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6386 NC 217, Linden |
|---|---|
| County | Harnett County |
| Listed | January 9, 2008 |
| Reference number | 07001375 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1890-ca. 1902 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian - Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with a high degree of integrity; still used as a single dwelling with secondary structures. Sold in 2007 to neighbors who plan to preserve it. |
| Acreage | 9.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.27262, -78.74046 (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 07001375.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987079
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.