Ottinger, Henry, House
Also known as: The Willows
Why it's listed
Built probably in the late 1850s on the floodplain of the French Broad River near Hot Springs, this two-story brick farmhouse is a vernacular Greek Revival dwelling with a pedimented two-level portico, hipped roof, paired chimneys and brick partitions a foot thick. Inside, post-and-lintel mantels and a distinctive vernacular newel survive. Henry Ottinger, a farmer who reportedly ran a ferry across the river, lived here until his death in 1891. In 1902 the Presbyterian Church bought the 300-acre farm as a boys' campus for the Dorland Institute, known as the Willows, where students worked the land. A rear dormitory wing added around 1910 was removed in the 1930s, and the farm returned to private use. The house is considered unusually large and stylish for its time and place, and no other antebellum brick buildings are known in Madison County. Surface finds on the bottomland also point to long prehistoric use of the site.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a rare antebellum brick house in the mountains, and no other antebellum brick structures are known to survive in Madison County. It is also tied to river transportation through Henry Ottinger's ferry and to Presbyterian missionary education, since the farm served as a campus of Dorland Institute. Archaeological deposits on the site add to its significance.
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 86000410, listed March 6, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 391 Boys Home Rd., Hot Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | March 6, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000410 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Prehistoric, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence and working farm; the form lists condition as good, altered and partly deteriorated. The large rear addition was torn down in the 1930s. |
| Acreage | 48 |
| Coordinates | 35.91136, -82.85320 (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 86000410.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987432
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.