Blalock, Robert L., House
Why it's listed
Standing on a corner lot one block east of Kinston's Queen Street, this two-story frame house began as a side-hall-plan dwelling built in the late 1850s, probably for merchant Alexander Nicol. Its present look comes mostly from later changes. Robert L. Blalock, a building contractor who arrived in Kinston in 1906 and bought the house in 1914, remodeled it in the early 1920s. He added a wraparound brick porch with a round corner pavilion and porte cochere, round-shouldered brick chimneys with arched windows, and three large brick mantels with overmantels. A Palladian attic window and modillion cornice add Classical Revival detail. Blalock designed and built many of the town's commercial and institutional buildings, and the house reflects his taste for heavy masonry. Since 1947 the building has served as a funeral home, and the changes made for that use are largely cosmetic. The house was recognized for its architecture and its link to Blalock's career.
Significance in brief: The house is a largely intact example of a mid-19th century dwelling remodeled in the early 20th century into a distinctive Classical Revival building. Its brick porch, chimneys and mantels reflect the preferences of Robert L. Blalock, one of Kinston's most prolific building contractors from about 1906 to 1929. The remodeling dates from the town's early 20th century boom era.
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 89001772, listed November 8, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 300 S. McLewean St., Kinston |
|---|---|
| County | Lenoir County |
| Listed | November 8, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001772 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1929 |
| Architect / builder | Blalock, Robert L. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a funeral home, with a caretaker living on the second floor; changes by the funeral home operators are described as mainly cosmetic. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 35.25719, -77.57933 (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 89001772.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460567
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.