Hastings-McKinnie House
Why it's listed
Built about 1845, this one-and-a-half story frame house at the southeastern edge of Princeton shows how Federal style details lingered in modest Johnston County homes of the 1840s. Its five-bay facade is unusual for so late a date, and it has nine-over-nine windows, molded surrounds, a scalloped cornice and a center-hall plan with an unusual stair landing. Wiley Hastings, a merchant, postmaster and railroad station agent, had it built on an 848-acre tract he bought in 1845. He later laid out much of the town, then called Boon Hill, along the new North Carolina Railroad. David E. McKinnie, a leading local merchant, bought the house in 1887 and lived there until his death in 1913. Elijah Franklin Pearce, a Primitive Baptist minister, acquired it in 1933. The house was moved 100 feet in 1945, losing its kitchen ell and original chimneys, and was renovated in 1981.
Significance in brief: The house is a good example of late Federal style elements carried into the 1840s in rural Johnston County, and its five-bay facade is unusual for so late a date. It was the seat of an 848-acre tract on which Wiley Hastings laid out much of Princeton (then Boon Hill). It is also tied to merchant David E. McKinnie and Primitive Baptist minister Elijah Franklin Pearce.
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 83001893, listed September 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 201 S. Pierce St., Princeton |
|---|---|
| County | Johnston County |
| Listed | September 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001893 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Thoroughly renovated in 1981 and in use as a rental property; owners plan further restoration, including the porch and rear ell. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.46228, -78.15630 (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 83001893.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462226
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.