Siler, Jesse R., House
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Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Franklin, the Macon County seat in the far southwestern corner of North Carolina, is home to a double-pile house that rises beside West Main Street at the base of the town's hill. Built in stages from an early log dwelling, it was expanded by merchant Jesse R. Siler around 1820-1830 with frame rooms, a center hall and mantels of unusual design for the region. Siler arrived in the Cherokee territory in 1821 after clerking in Asheville, and he went on to run a general store, tannery, saddlery, boot factory and sawmill. The house was later enlarged around the turn of the twentieth century by George A. Jones, who added a monumental front portico with fluted columns. Its interior woodwork and the layered changes across three building periods are the reasons the house is regarded as a significant local resource.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an exceptional early residence for the region and a reminder of pioneering settler Jesse R. Siler, a prominent merchant and planter. Its interior mantels from the ca. 1820-1830 expansion are described as unusual for western North Carolina, and the house records the progress of a mountain family over the century.
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 82003484, listed April 29, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 115 W. Main St., Franklin |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | April 29, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003484 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian-to-Federal transitional (interior woodwork) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The document states the house remains in the possession of Siler's descendants and that the Jones family kept it in good repair; it does not give a current use. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 35.18058, -83.38682 (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 82003484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.