Boyd, James, House
Also known as: Weymouth
Why it's listed
Weymouth is a large, rambling Colonial Revival brick house in Southern Pines, built in the 1920s for novelist James Boyd on an estate his grandfather had founded earlier in the century. Local sources name New York architect Aymur Embry as the designer. The two-story central block has a double-gallery porch with Doric and Ionic columns, flanked by hyphens and wings under a slate roof. Inside, a large paneled room with Corinthian pilasters and a Federal-style mantel is the most elaborate space. The grounds include a gatehouse, a stable, a boxwood parterre, and a pool area. Boyd moved to Southern Pines in 1920 and lived here for the rest of his life. He wrote Drums, a hit novel of the American Revolution published in 1925, and followed it with Marching On. The house sheltered a literary circle that drew writers such as Thomas Wolfe and Sherwood Anderson, and it headquartered the Moore County Hounds.
Significance in brief: The house was the home of historical novelist James Boyd during his productive career, and it is where he wrote Drums (1925) and Marching On. It served as a literary colony and as headquarters of the Moore County Hounds. The nomination argues its value lies in its role as an artistic and cultural haven for the region.
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 77001005, listed May 12, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Ridge Rd. and Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines |
|---|---|
| County | Moore County |
| Listed | May 12, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001005 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1920s |
| Architect / builder | Aymur Embry (allegedly) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, with predominant Georgian elements |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied private residence in good condition; the swimming pool and tennis court suffer from neglect, and part of the house serves as a caretaker's apartment. |
| Acreage | 40 |
| Within district | Southern Pines Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.17044, -79.38294 (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 77001005.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460631
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.