Shaw House
Also known as: Old Shaw Homestead
Why it's listed
Built in the early nineteenth century at the crossing of the Morganton Road and the Pee Dee Trail, this one-and-one-half story frame farmhouse began as a three-room main block and grew through an enclosed front porch with two "strangers' rooms" and a later rear ell. A chimney dated February 8, 1842, may mark the enlargement. Inside, the main block keeps its Federal-style pine board walls and a pair of carved cypress mantels attributed to an unknown itinerant craftsman whose work also appears in two other Moore County houses. Charles Cornelius Shaw, a farmer and lumber and naval stores proprietor, assembled large landholdings around the house. His son Squire Shaw later became the first mayor of Southern Pines, which was laid out on the family's land. The Shaw family kept the house until 1946, when volunteers rescued it from demolition. The lot now also holds two relocated log buildings, the Garner House and the Britt-Sanders Cabin, shown as exhibits.
Significance in brief: It is thought to be one of the oldest surviving houses in Moore County and an example of vernacular frame dwellings built by Highland Scots settlers. It has unusually decorative carved cypress mantels, apparently by the same unknown craftsman who made mantels in two other county houses. It is also tied to the Shaw family, who helped settle the county and whose land became the town of Southern Pines.
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 93000542, listed June 17, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 780 SW. Broad St., Southern Pines |
|---|---|
| County | Moore County |
| Listed | June 17, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000542 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | early nineteenth century-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | OTHER/vernacular Moore County farmhouse, with Federal and Greek Revival details |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as a museum; saved from demolition in 1946 by volunteers and operated by the Moore County Historical Association. Roof shingles were replaced in 1991. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.16829, -79.40144 (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 93000542.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q25203156
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.