Quinlan, Charles and Annie, House
Also known as: The Inn on Prospect Hill; Prospect Hill
Why it's listed
Perched at the top of Prospect Hill on the south side of Waynesville, this two-and-a-half-story frame house was built in 1901-02 for Charles Quinlan, a Pennsylvania-born lumber company manager, and his wife Annie Gudger, whose family owned the hill. The house combines the irregular massing, hipped roof and projecting bays of the Queen Anne style with the restrained woodwork of the Colonial Revival. Inside, oak and cherry finishes, a built-in buffet, a library added around 1920 and original nine-over-one windows survive. Sleeping porches were added about 1916 when a daughter fell ill with tuberculosis. After Annie Quinlan's death in 1955, the house became an inn and restaurant, and a restoration after 1993 returned it to use as a bed-and-breakfast. It was listed for its architecture, as a local example of the transition between two popular styles in a mountain town that grew rapidly after the railroad arrived in 1882.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a notable Waynesville example of transitional Queen Anne-Colonial Revival architecture, combining irregular massing and a tall hip roof with restrained Colonial Revival woodwork. Its interior shows Craftsman and Colonial Revival details and quality wood finishes with a high degree of integrity. It reflects the modesty of its original owners and the growth that followed the railroad's arrival in 1882.
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 05000959, listed September 7, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 274 S. Main St., Waynesville |
|---|---|
| County | Haywood County |
| Listed | September 7, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000959 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-02 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne; Colonial Revival (transitional Queen Anne-Colonial Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored by current owners after 1993 and used as a bed-and-breakfast inn; earlier used as an inn, restaurant and antique store. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.48661, -82.99068 (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 05000959.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987710
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.