Summer Villa and the McKay-Salmon House
Why it's listed
West of Lillington, in the Sandhills community of Summerville, a small complex of buildings preserves the setting of a 19th century plantation. Summer Villa, begun in 1849 by Reverend Neill McKay, is a two-story frame house that began as Greek Revival and was updated early in the 20th century with a wraparound porch and a pedimented portico in the Neo-Classical Revival style. Behind it stand outbuildings from the mid 19th to the mid 20th century, including a carriage house of about 1850. Across the road is the McKay-Salmon House, a one-story cottage built late in the century for McKay's daughter and decorated with turned and sawn woodwork. McKay was a Presbyterian minister, church historian and university trustee who also held the most enslaved people in Harnett County in 1860, with income drawn largely from turpentine and lumber. The property was listed for its architecture, its link to McKay and the naval stores economy, and its archaeological potential.
Significance in brief: The complex represents the naval stores and lumber based plantation economy of the North Carolina Sandhills and the retention of the property in one family. It is tied to Reverend Neill McKay, a Presbyterian minister, church historian and University of North Carolina trustee. The two houses show classical (Greek Revival and Neo-Classical Revival) and decorated (Italianate/Queen Anne) building traditions, and the site may yield archaeological information about plantation life.
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 85000902, listed April 25, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1291, Lillington |
|---|---|
| County | Harnett County |
| Listed | April 25, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000902 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival updated in early 20th century Neo-Classical Revival (Summer Villa); late 19th century decorated cottage (McKay-Salmon House) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as a private residence and agricultural property; both houses described as well preserved and in good repair, though the form marks condition as fair. |
| Acreage | 45 |
| Coordinates | 35.40510, -78.86479 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85000902.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18711662
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.