Boone-Withers House
Why it's listed
Built about 1883 in Waynesville, the two-and-one-half-story frame house sits on a large corner lot two blocks west of the town's central business district. Its decorative woodwork blends Victorian-Italianate, Stick and Eastlake elements, including curvilinear bargeboards, sawn porch skirts and a carved Eastlake newel post. Sam Liner, a local carpenter, is traditionally credited with its construction for John Kader Boone, who served as Clerk of Court for 18 years and chaired the local school board. The house was built after the Western North Carolina Railroad reached Waynesville in 1882. In 1914 W. H. Lord of Asheville remodeled parts of the interior and added a study and sleeping porch in the Colonial Revival style. Later owner Ernest L. Withers was a prominent businessman and civic leader, and the house hosted notable social gatherings during his years there. The property is significant for its architecture and its connections to these local figures.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as one of the town's first residences to adopt nationally popular styles, combining Victorian-Italianate, Stick and Eastlake details. Its builder and later owners are linked to the economic, civic and social development of Waynesville after the Western North Carolina Railroad arrived, and the nomination describes it as well preserved and largely original.
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 83001889, listed July 21, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 305 Church St., Waynesville |
|---|---|
| County | Haywood County |
| Listed | July 21, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001889 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1883-1945 |
| Architect / builder | Sam Liner, builder (ca. 1883); W. H. Lord, architect (1914 alterations) |
| Architectural style | Victorian-Italianate, Stick and Eastlake, with Colonial Revival alterations of 1914 |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition with original site; altered in 1914 and 1975 |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.49077, -82.99012 (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 83001889.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460609
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.