Wheeler, John, House
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 403 East Broad Street in Murfreesboro was built in the early 1800s and is regarded as a vernacular example of Federal architecture. The walls are laid in Flemish bond, the front is three bays wide, and a later two-story pedimented portico with square columns shelters the central entrance, which has sidelights and an elliptical fanlight. A shed porch at the rear connects the house to a one-story brick outbuilding. Inside, a central passage separates two parlors, one heavily altered and retaining traces of original painted wallpaper. John Wheeler, who came to Murfreesboro in 1796, bought the house soon after it was finished and served as postmaster and academy trustee. His son John Hill Wheeler, born there in 1806, became superintendent of the Charlotte Mint, minister to Nicaragua and a state historian. Later owners included the Trader family, who kept it for over eighty years. It was donated in 1969 to the Murfreesboro Historical Association for restoration.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a fine example of vernacular Federal architecture in North Carolina. It is also tied to the Wheeler family, including John Wheeler, a local postmaster and academy trustee, and his son John Hill Wheeler, who was born there in 1806.
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 71000596, listed March 31, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 403 E. Broad St., Murfreesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Hertford County |
| Listed | March 31, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000596 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and described as altered; donated in 1969 to the Murfreesboro Historical Association, with restoration planned. The form checks the status as unoccupied. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 36.44432, -77.09802 (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 71000596.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18749281
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.