Robinson Rock House Ruin and Plantation Site
Also known as: 31mk272
Why it's listed
Along the north bank of Reedy Creek in what is now Reedy Creek Park stand the ruins of a two-and-a-half to three-story granite house built by the Robison family around 1772 to 1778. Portions of all four outer walls survive, with the southeast corner rising almost 20 feet. The walls are random coursed ashlar with precisely aligned corners, and the long granite stones change direction as the courses rise. The Robison family acquired the land in 1767 and 1769 and farmed it into the early 1800s. Robert Robison Sr. was a church elder at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church, and his son John is recorded as a signer of the Tryon Resolves in 1775. Later the Wallace family and George Jordan owned the house, and Jordan lived there until his death in 1899. Around the house lie a blacksmith's shop, outbuildings, cabin sites, and placer mining pits linked to the Gold Rush. Archaeological excavations have recovered ceramics, glass, nails, and colonoware. The site was not disturbed after abandonment, which makes it valuable for studying eighteenth-century plantation settlement and life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is an early Colonial plantation in the Carolina Piedmont, with its stone house one of few surviving examples from the 1700s in Mecklenburg County. It is said to be an almost undisturbed archaeological resource with high potential for information on eighteenth-century plantation life. It is also linked to Revolutionary War-era family members and to placer gold mining associated with the North Carolina Gold Rush.
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 08001365, listed January 22, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Reedy Creek Park-2900 Rocky River Rd., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | January 22, 2009 |
| Reference number | 08001365 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | A.D. 1751 to 1830s |
| Architectural style | Colonial/Southern Colonial; house most likely in the Georgian style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Industry, Historic - Non-Aboriginal |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ruin; portions of all four outer walls still stand, with the southeast corner reaching almost 20 feet; site has remained almost undisturbed since abandonment in 1899. |
| Acreage | 80 |
| Coordinates | 35.26325, -80.70689 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 08001365.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q21016128
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.