Hargrave House
Why it's listed
Built around 1860 for cotton planter and merchant John Hargrave, this two-story frame house near the Rowan County line in Iredell County is a late Greek Revival example in Piedmont plantation architecture. Its T-shaped plan has a two-story center-bay portico supported by pairs of Doric columns, and its double-leaf front doorways are framed with red Venetian glass in a Greek floral pattern, regarded as the only known example of Venetian glass in the county. Molded 6/6 sash windows, heavily pedimented side gables, and Greek mantels run throughout, with interior trim repeating the exterior molding. Carpenter John McKnight, Hargrave's cousin, built the house, and McKnight is also credited with the nearby Prospect Presbyterian Church. The house is considered more refined than the related Henry Eccles and Henry Turner houses in Cool Spring. It has remained largely unchanged, with a smokehouse still retaining its original louvered ventilators.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the finest remaining examples in Iredell County of the late Greek Revival style in Piedmont domestic architecture. Its sophisticated design, consistent interior and exterior detailing, two-story portico, and rare use of Venetian glass are cited as evidence of mid-nineteenth-century building quality, and it is described as well preserved and largely unaltered.
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 82003473, listed June 24, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 152 and NC 150, Statesville |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | June 24, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003473 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John McKnight (carpenter/builder) |
| Architectural style | Late Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Well preserved and largely unaltered; the land remains in active agricultural use. |
| Acreage | 102 |
| Coordinates | 35.60402, -80.76834 (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 82003473.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462185
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.