Little, W. J., House
Also known as: Little House
Why it's listed
Built in 1913-14 at the corner of North Main and West Academy streets in Robersonville, this two-story, three-bay frame house was commissioned by William Joseph Little, a large-scale tobacco farmer who also held stock in a local tobacco redrying company. It has a hipped slate roof topped by a Chippendale-style balustrade, a two-story entrance portico, a wrap-around porch, and a porte cochere. Inside, a center-hall plan includes mahogany doors, a Classical Revival stair screen, mantels with hints of Art Nouveau, a Craftsman-style dining room, and a stained-glass window. The house stayed in the Little family until 1975 and has changed little since construction. It faces a similar Classical Revival residence, the Roberson House, across the street. The nomination presents it as a visible product of the tobacco boom that fueled Robersonville's rapid growth in the early twentieth century, and as a fine example of eastern North Carolina's tobacco-era mansions.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the two largest and finest Classical Revival houses in Robersonville and has remained nearly unchanged since it was built. It reflects the prosperity of the early twentieth-century tobacco economy of eastern North Carolina. It is also tied to Little, a prominent tobacco farmer and businessman, and shows how Colonial Revival fashion reached a small commercial center.
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 85002420, listed September 19, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 109 N. Main St., Robersonville |
|---|---|
| County | Martin County |
| Listed | September 19, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85002420 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | John C. Stout ? (from Rocky Mount) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in good condition, with a note that it was being offered for sale subject to protective covenants. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.82530, -77.25417 (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 85002420.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986819
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.