Turner, Henry, House and Caldwell-Turner Mill Site
Why it's listed
Along Fifth Creek near Cool Spring in Iredell County stands a two-story frame farmhouse built around 1860 for Henry Turner. It replaced the home of David Caldwell, a prominent 18th-century settler and political figure, which burned in 1859. The house has a gable roof, exterior end chimneys, a one-story rear ell and a two-story pedimented porch with Doric posts. Inside, heavy Greek Revival mantels and door surrounds survive, and the cellar holds an ice pit and a milk pit. Nearby are a former mill office, a one-room log building, a shed, a garage, the remains of a wooden water race and an early cemetery thought to be the Caldwell family graveyard. Turner bought the property in 1841 and ran a grist mill that produced flour, meal and feed; his sons converted it to a roller mill in 1891, and it closed in the mid-twentieth century. The property illustrates farming and small-scale milling in the region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house, outbuildings and mill site reflect the prosperity of prominent farmers and early industrialists in antebellum Iredell County. It is tied to Henry Turner, a local farmer and mill operator, and to the 18th-century leader David Caldwell. It is also a vernacular Greek Revival example with notable ice and milk pits in the cellar, and may yield information on 18th and 19th century farming and milling.
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 80002879, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 2145, Statesville |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002879 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is described as well preserved and in good repair; the mill building is gone, with only remnants such as the water race remaining. The nomination notes the house is a private residence. |
| Acreage | 13 |
| Coordinates | 35.86257, -80.72666 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80002879.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22061110
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.