Sharpe, Col. Silas Alexander, House
Why it's listed
Begun around 1860 and finished after the Civil War, this two-story frame house stands at the corner of South Center and Sharpe streets in Statesville. Its three-bay front is dominated by a full-height portico with slender clustered columns, a second-story balcony with turned balustrade held by cast-iron brackets, reeded pilasters, and monumental doorways with sidelights. Crossetted window surrounds and a very low hipped roof add to the design, which the nomination calls one of the most sophisticated of its period in Iredell County. The interior was largely remodeled in the Adamesque Revival style around 1937. The house is linked to Col. Silas Alexander Sharpe, who learned the tanning trade, bought a tanyard nearby, and operated a tannery for about half a century. He also built a tobacco warehouse in 1872, led the Home Guard during the Civil War, and served as mayor of Statesville several times.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the oldest remaining in Statesville and an unusually sophisticated example of mid-19th-century Classical Revival design, centered on its two-story portico with clustered columns and reeded pilasters. It is also tied to Col. Silas Alexander Sharpe, a prominent industrialist and political leader in Statesville in the second half of the 19th century.
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 80002877, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 402 S. Center St., Statesville |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002877 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (exterior); interior remodeled in Adamesque Revival style around 1937 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; exterior described as intact and well preserved, condition marked good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.78150, -80.88694 (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 80002877.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436242
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.