Bradley-Latimer Summer House
Why it's listed
Built about 1855 on a knoll above Bradley Creek, among moss-draped oaks near Airlie Gardens, this two-story, hipped-roof summer house has three bays across and two deep, wrapped by a one-story veranda. Richard Bradley, Jr., a Wilmington lumber partner, is thought to have built it after inheriting the land from his mother's estate in 1854. Zebulon Latimer bought the house and nine acres in 1855 for $3,500, and the property stayed in the Latimer family for more than a century. Its original central breezeway, later enclosed, reflects the mid-nineteenth century shift of the sounds from salt production and lumbering to summer retreats for prominent Wilmington families. The house is regarded as an early surviving example of a rare, unpretentious type of coastal summer residence, with original crown glass sash, wide pine floors, and porch details. Its importance rests on that survival and on its link to the development of the sounds as summer resorts.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a rare surviving example of the unpretentious, commodious summer houses built by wealthy Wilmington residents in the mid-nineteenth century. It is presented as an early survivor of a dwelling type with a central breezeway and wraparound porches. It is also associated with the development of the sounds as summer resorts and with families important in the region's social and commercial life.
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 87001181, listed July 20, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S side SR 1411 E of jct. with US 76, Wrightsville Beach |
|---|---|
| County | New Hanover County |
| Listed | July 20, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001181 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1855-1870 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition checked as good; the house is altered and remains on its original site. Renovated in the 1970s. |
| Acreage | 4.3 |
| Coordinates | 34.21549, -77.83070 (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 87001181.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460637
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.