Mulberry Grove
Why it's listed
Mulberry Grove is a plantation house southwest of Ahoskie in Hertford County, North Carolina. Its oldest part, a story-and-a-half Flemish bond brick building with a full basement, is traditionally dated to soon after 1758 and attributed to Arthur Cotton. In the second quarter of the nineteenth century it was raised to two stories and enlarged with a frame rear wing, producing a T-shaped plan with a shallow hipped roof. The parlor has elaborate Greek Revival woodwork, including fluted Ionic pilasters, and the rear hall holds a Federal marbleized stair. The house stayed with the Cotton and Moore families for generations. Dr. Godwin Cotton Moore hosted the 1848 meeting of Baptist leaders that led to Chowan College, and his son John Wheeler Moore became an author and historian. After neglect in the twentieth century, the house was partly restored in the 1960s and was undergoing further renovation when nominated.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the ancestral seat of the Cotton and Moore families and as a mid-eighteenth-century Georgian house adapted into an exceptional brick Greek Revival plantation home. It is tied to Arthur Cotton, Godwin Cotton, Dr. Godwin Cotton Moore (founder of Chowan College) and John Wheeler Moore. It also reflects the economic growth, stylistic development and educational attainment of northeastern North Carolina plantation society.
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 80002848, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Ashoskie, Ashoskie |
|---|---|
| County | Hertford County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002848 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Arthur Cotton (builder of the original portion, traditionally) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (adapted from a Georgian original) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Under renovation after a period of neglect; described as unoccupied, in fair condition, with a partial restoration in the 1960s and further restoration awaited. |
| Acreage | 2.4 |
| Coordinates | 36.29251, -77.14985 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80002848.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18749719
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.