Franklin Terrace Hotel
Why it's listed
Built in 1888 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as the Franklin Female Seminary, this two-story stuccoed brick building on Harrison Avenue has a T-plan under hip roofs, corner pilasters, corbelled bands and segmental hood-molds in the Italianate manner. The school operated until 1902, after which the building housed the Franklin public school until 1910. In 1915 sisters Blanche and Mary Willis converted it into the Franklin Terrace Hotel, adding a two-story porch and a kitchen annex. It became one of the town's principal tourist hotels, serving visitors from Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee after the Tallulah Falls Railway reached Franklin in 1906. The building is regarded as an example of a late nineteenth century institutional building that was later adapted for resort use, and it remains one of the town's oldest landmarks. Three 1920s cottages stand on the same wooded lot.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its association with late nineteenth century educational development in western North Carolina, as a school and cultural center, and with the early growth of the tourist industry in the mountains. It also cites its Italianate institutional architecture, expanded with porches and annexes when it became a hotel.
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 82003483, listed July 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 67 Harrison Ave., Franklin |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | July 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003483 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1915 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and reopened as a tourist hotel by the current owners in the late 1970s after a period of abandonment. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 35.18380, -83.38384 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 82003483.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18150438
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.