Black-Cole House
Why it's listed
Set at the end of a long sandy road in the Sandhills of Moore County, this small one-story house sits among old pines, cedars and magnolias on land straddling the Little River. Its unpainted lapped siding, engaged front porch and brick end chimneys give it a plain look, but its clipped gable roof is described as unique among houses of its type in North Carolina. Architectural evidence, including molded Federal woodwork, suggests construction in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. A mid-nineteenth century rear wing added Greek Revival windows and doors. Records were lost in an 1889 courthouse fire, so the early history is uncertain. Family tradition names a man called Black as builder and Richard A. Cole as a later owner; the house stayed with Cole descendants afterward. An outbuilding served as the Rubicon Post Office from 1890 to 1907. Surviving outbuildings include a smokehouse, corncrib and barn.
Significance in brief: The house is notable for its clipped gable roof, which the nomination describes as rare in North Carolina, and as a good example of a small Sandhills plantation house. It is also associated with the Black and Cole families, both prominent in Moore County. An outbuilding served as the Rubicon Post Office from 1890 to 1907.
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 78001967, listed September 18, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Eastwood, Eastwood |
|---|---|
| County | Moore County |
| Listed | September 18, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001967 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Built by a man named Black, according to family tradition; no architect named |
| Architectural style | Federal woodwork with Greek Revival rear wing; vernacular plantation house with clipped gable roof |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and in fair condition; a 1978 telephone note says the owners use it as a summer home and that it is structurally sound. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 35.26767, -79.48743 (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 78001967.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460548
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.