Holly Bend
Also known as: Hollywood
Why it's listed
Holly Bend is a large frame plantation house set in a grove of holly trees on a neck of land reaching into the Catawba River near Huntersville. Robert Davidson built it between 1795 and 1800 on land given to him by his father, John Davidson, and it was finished before his marriage in 1801. Davidson later became reputedly the wealthiest planter in Mecklenburg County. The two-story, five-bay house has plain molded weatherboards, brick end chimneys laid in Flemish bond, and a stone foundation. Its exterior is restrained, apart from a carved central entrance with fluted pilasters and console caps. Inside, the west parlor holds an elaborate mantel, overmantel and overdoor decorated with reeding, rope moldings, rosettes and a bas-relief urn. A Georgian-feeling open-string stair rises in the hall. The house is notable because such lavish Federal woodwork appears in an outwardly ordinary building, interpreted with lively local creativity by the carpenter.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant for its interior rather than its plain exterior. Its lavish, exuberantly vernacular Federal-style trim, including an Adamesque mantel and overdoor, appears in an otherwise unexceptional house, which the form calls unique. The carpenter's creative handling of derivative forms produced a purely local expression of Federal Neo-Classicism.
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 72000977, listed March 24, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | W of Huntersville on SR 2720, Huntersville |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | March 24, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000977 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 18th Century (1795-1800 construction; specific date given as 1810 on the form) |
| Architect / builder | Robert Davidson (built the house); the interior trim is attributed to an unnamed carpenter |
| Architectural style | Federal / vernacular Adamesque Neo-Classicism, with Georgian feeling in the stair |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as good condition, altered, on its original site, in private residential use; preservation work was in progress. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 35.38430, -80.96397 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 72000977.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462370
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.