Sherrod Farm
Why it's listed
Sherrod Farm is a 140-acre agricultural property near Hamilton in northwest Martin County, North Carolina, centered on a two-story weatherboarded farmhouse built in stages. The oldest part appears to be the rear wing, probably an early nineteenth-century Georgian-style house of one or one-and-a-half stories. The main section is a five-bay, center-hall Federal block from the first quarter of the century, with double-shoulder chimneys and fine period woodwork. After John J. Sherrod bought the property in 1843, a small pedimented Greek Revival portico with Ionic capitals and oversized volutes was probably added. Later in the century the family raised the rear wing to two stories and added a side porch with chamfered posts and latticework brackets. John Sherrod farmed thousands of acres with enslaved labor, and the family stayed prominent in agriculture and business until 1952. Outbuildings include early twentieth-century stables, a peanut barn, and a possibly antebellum log-stilted farm building.
Significance in brief: The house shows how an early dwelling was repeatedly enlarged, combining Federal form with an exuberant vernacular Greek Revival portico. It is tied to the Sherrod family, who owned it from 1843 to 1952, and to John J. Sherrod, one of Martin County's largest antebellum farmers. It also illustrates the plantation-based agricultural economy of eastern North Carolina, and the surrounding grounds may hold archaeological information.
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 84000552, listed December 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W side of NC 125/903, Hamilton |
|---|---|
| County | Martin County |
| Listed | December 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000552 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal with vernacular Greek Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, altered, and occupied as a private residence by tenants who have maintained it; the farmland and outbuildings remain. |
| Acreage | 140 |
| Coordinates | 35.92559, -77.20807 (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 84000552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436251
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.