Davidson, Benjamin W., House
Also known as: Oak Lawn
Why it's listed
Oak Lawn is a two-story, five-bay frame plantation house on a stone foundation, located west of Huntersville in Mecklenburg County. Built around 1820 for cotton planter Benjamin Davidson, it blends Georgian and Federal features, with Flemish bond end chimneys, a three-part molded door frame and a modified Quaker plan with a center hall. Inside, an open-string stair with a low Georgian-style balustrade and a heavily ornamented parlor chimney piece stand out. The woodwork closely matches that at nearby Holly Bend, a house tied to it by family connections, and appears to be by the same carpenter. Remnants of 1804 "Captain Cook" wallpaper survive in an upstairs closet. After Davidson's death in 1829 his widow stayed until 1835, and the property later passed through several owners. Restoration of the long-neglected house began in 1941. A brick well house and a small Greek Revival outbuilding remain behind the house.
Significance in brief: It is one of southern Piedmont Mecklenburg County's notable group of Federal-era dwellings. It is especially significant for its elaborate vernacular woodwork of vigorous, distinctive character. That woodwork is clearly the work of the same carpenter who worked at nearby Holly Bend, a house related by family and stylistic ties.
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 76001331, listed April 26, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W of Huntersville on SR 2138, Huntersville |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | April 26, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001331 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Transitional Georgian-Federal style plantation house |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, and occupied as a private residence; the cornice, siding, porch and shutters have been replaced, and architectural rescue work began in 1941. |
| Acreage | 9.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.39589, -80.87580 (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 76001331.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.