Gaither House
Why it's listed
Set in rural northeast Iredell County near Harmony, this two-story frame house was built between 1844 and 1860 for W. T. Gaither and his wife Mary Elizabeth, on land the Gaither family had held for years along Hunting Creek. Its symmetrical, ordered appearance reflects the vernacular Greek Revival style, with a gable roof, boxed and molded eaves, wide cornice returns, fluted window surrounds and a center entrance porch with Doric columns. Inside, a center hall plan, flush-sheathed walls and heavy mantels show the lingering influence of the late Federal period. Alterations are almost non-existent. W. T. Gaither became one of the largest landowners in antebellum Iredell County, though the Civil War damaged the family's fortunes. His son Dr. Bell Gaither later ran a country store and dental office nearby. The house was listed as a well-preserved, consistently detailed example of mid-nineteenth century rural Greek Revival design.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as a largely unaltered example of a mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival rural house in north Iredell County. Its details are applied consistently inside and out, giving a high quality of design for a relatively unpretentious house. It also keeps some late Federal elements, especially in its mantels.
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 80002851, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 901, Harmony |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002851 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival, with Federal period hold-overs |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and unaltered; the form describes alterations as almost non-existent. Used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 3.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.94371, -80.74401 (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 80002851.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5517389
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.