Bryson, Albert Swain, House
Also known as: Hall in the Pines
Why it's listed
Known locally as "Hall in the Pines," this brick and frame house sits on a rise above Franklin's Main Street in Macon County, North Carolina. Built around 1875 for Albert Swain Bryson, a merchant, farmer, mica miner, contractor and local magistrate, it combines Gothic and Italianate details in a vernacular Romantic Revival design. Tradition holds that an English cabinetmaker built it from plans modeled on a house in Buffalo, New York, and that the builders fired their own bricks on the property. The two-story main block has a tall hipped roof with broad gables, pedimented windows, bracketed eaves and a two-story front porch. Inside, a center-hall plan includes walnut woodwork, a paneled staircase and Italianate mantels. A 1960s rear addition copies the original details closely. The house is considered significant as a rare western North Carolina example of this style mix, and for its high-quality interior woodwork.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be a rare western North Carolina example of a vernacular brick house combining Gothic and Italianate features of the Romantic Revival. Its walnut interior woodwork is described as exceptional. Bryson was a prominent Franklin citizen, and the house reflected his standing in the community.
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 84000541, listed December 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Pine Lane, Franklin |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | December 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000541 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1875 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (tradition credits an English cabinetmaker, with Albert Bryson as a contractor) |
| Architectural style | Romantic Revival (vernacular blend of Gothic and Italianate details) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence in good condition; altered by 1960s rear addition and porch. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.18412, -83.37639 (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 84000541.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17986133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.