Playmore-Bowery Road Historic District
Why it's listed
On a ridge about a mile east of Highlands, North Carolina, a group of summer cottages sits among rhododendrons, hemlocks and hardwoods above Horse Cove. The district covers about 220 acres reached by the gravel Bowery Road. Its centerpiece is Playmore, a two-story Italianate house built in 1879-1880 for Samuel Prioleau Ravenel by carpenter Francis Poindexter, for a quoted price of $3,503.50. Originally called Wantoot, it was sold in 1914 to New Orleans attorney Jules Blanc Monroe, whose descendants still use it. Its interior features unpainted chestnut paneling and floors of alternating ash and walnut. Other resources include Wolf Ridge, a 1914 Ravenel house, The Fling, a 1922 Colonial Revival house, the log-built Log Jam, Kalalanta, Treetops, Thornton Cottage, and Ravenel Park with Sunset Rock. Frame construction and stone walls, piers and chimneys give the area a consistent character, and it shows how a fashionable mountain resort developed from 1879 into the 1930s.
Significance in brief: The district preserves a cluster of summer estates and cottages in the mountain resort of Highlands, anchored by Playmore, built in 1879-1880 for Samuel Prioleau Ravenel and described as the town's finest summer house. The estate and cottages retain their wooded setting, stone features and outbuildings. The Ravenel family's early association with Highlands is also tied to Ravenel Park and Wolf Ridge.
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 01001071, listed March 27, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1309-1311 Horse Cove Rd., 7,215,225,369,455 and 172-176,200,462 Bowery Rd., and 375-471 Upper Lake Rd., Highlands |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | March 27, 2002 |
| Reference number | 01001071 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Playmore built by Francis Poindexter (1824-1902) for Samuel Prioleau Ravenel |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Colonial Revival, Other: Rustic |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Playmore remains a summer estate of the descendants of Jules Blanc Monroe, who bought it in 1914. The form lists current functions that include single dwellings, outdoor recreation and some vacant or not-in-use buildings. |
| Coordinates | 35.05271, -83.18254 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 01001071.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18157469
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.