Freeman House
Also known as: Hertford Academy
Why it's listed
Built of brick laid in Flemish bond, this two-story, hip-roofed building at 200 East Broad Street in Murfreesboro began as Hertford Academy. The General Assembly incorporated the academy in 1809, with John Wheeler and William Hardy Murfree as trustees and Jonathan Freeman as principal. The building was finished late in 1810, and classes began in the spring of 1811. Later the female department became the Banks School under Harriet and Martha Sketchly in 1814. In 1848 the Baptist Female Institute moved in, and in 1852 that school relocated to a new building, The Columns, eventually becoming Chowan College. The exterior has a five-bay south front, jack arches over the openings, six-over-six windows and a bracketed cornice with pierced dentils and fretwork. A brick wing was added on the west side, and repeated remodeling left little original interior fabric. The Murfreesboro Woman's Club acquired the building in 1947 and was restoring it as a club house and reception center.
Significance in brief: It is important as an example of early nineteenth century educational architecture in North Carolina. It is also the birthplace of Chowan College, through the Baptist Female Institute that occupied it in 1848, and so played a major role in advancing education in eastern North Carolina.
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 71000591, listed February 18, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 200 E. Broad St., Murfreesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Hertford County |
| Listed | February 18, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000591 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1810) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; the Murfreesboro Woman's Club bought it in 1947 and it was being restored for use as a club house and reception center. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 36.44432, -77.09942 (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 71000591.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18739429
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.