Kelly, Alexander, House
Also known as: Kelly, John B., House
Why it's listed
Set on a knoll above McLendon's Creek northwest of Carthage, this two-story frame house was completed in 1842 and is the largest surviving antebellum house in Moore County. Its transitional Federal and Greek Revival design includes a hip roof, molded weatherboard, ornate Federal entrances with fanlights and sidelights, and matching pedimented porches at front and rear. Inside, a center hall plan holds wainscots, crown moldings, heart pine floors and tripartite mantels. One parlor mantel bears a small primitive painting of the house dated 1843. Built for lawyer John B. Kelly, it was later the home of his nephew Alexander Kelly, a planter, sheriff, state legislator and co-founder of a Carthage carriage works. The house once anchored a 3,000-acre plantation, now subdivided. It has stayed in the Kelly family since construction, so its exterior and interior remain almost unaltered. This high degree of integrity and its stylish design are the basis for its listing under the architecture criterion.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is eligible under Criterion C as one of the most stylish antebellum houses in Moore County and perhaps its grandest plantation house. It has been occupied by the Kelly family since construction and retains nearly all original exterior and interior fabric. It was also the home of Alexander Kelly, a wealthy planter, sheriff, legislator and carriage-works co-founder.
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 02000438, listed May 2, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 1640, 0.3 mi. SE of jct. with NC 1666, Carthage |
|---|---|
| County | Moore County |
| Listed | May 2, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000438 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1842 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (family tradition credits Alexander Kelly as amateur designer, built with slave labor) |
| Architectural style | Federal, Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in the hands of the Kelly descendants; described as in a pristine state of preservation with original exterior and interior fabric largely intact. |
| Acreage | 9.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.37624, -79.44599 (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 02000438.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19462702
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.