Cedar Dell
Why it's listed
Cedar Dell is a brick house near Falling Creek in Lenoir County, built about 1820 as a two-story, side-hall dwelling. Late in the nineteenth century it was enlarged and remodeled into a Victorian mansion. The older Federal section keeps its Adamesque mantels, and the finished attic holds the only untouched Federal interiors. The newer section includes an Eastlake-style porch, a bay window, and richly detailed parlors. The dining room, unaltered since the late 1880s, retains its original wallpaper, furniture and draperies. Henry Herring is the earliest known resident. Thomas Jefferson Kennedy bought the house in 1855, and his son William La Fayette Kennedy, a major landowner and bank director, remodeled it. In 1912 Kennedy and his wife deeded the house and about 1,200 acres to the trustees of Thomasville Baptist Orphanage for the Kennedy Memorial Home. The first children were admitted in 1914. The nominated area covers seven acres.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as an example of Federal and Victorian styles combined. Its late nineteenth century section has some of the finest Victorian interiors in eastern North Carolina, especially the unaltered dining room of the late 1880s. The house later became the Kennedy Memorial Home orphanage.
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 71000600, listed August 26, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Falling Creek on SR 1338, Falling Creek |
|---|---|
| County | Lenoir County |
| Listed | August 26, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000600 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Federal and Victorian (Eastlake-style porch) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in excellent condition, altered, on its original site, and used as an orphanage (Kennedy Memorial Home). |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Within district | Kennedy Memorial Home Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.25488, -77.68859 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 71000600.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460898
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.