Masonboro Sound Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Why it's listed
Along the sound side of New Hanover County near Wilmington, North Carolina, this district holds a cluster of resort cottages built from the 1870s into the twentieth century, with a few later year-round houses. Its oldest surviving building is a small shingled cottage from the 1830s, and the district is also associated with late colonial summer houses that were later lost to fire and storm. The Live Oaks mansion, completed in 1913 to designs by Henry Bacon, is the keystone of the group and was built for Walter Linton Parsley as a year-round residence. Masonboro Sound developed as a private, non-commercial summer colony for families from Wilmington, without hotels or pavilions, and its shaded lawns, live oaks and marsh views are treated as central to its character. The district is regarded as the oldest known coastal resort in North Carolina and the only surviving nineteenth-century soundside summer colony in the state. Its houses are mostly wood frame with weatherboard or shingle, and many outbuildings and docks remain.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is the oldest known coastal resort in North Carolina and the only surviving nineteenth-century soundside summer colony, an antebellum pattern that gave way to oceanfront resorts. Its natural landscape of live oaks, marsh and open water is described as creating a cohesive setting, and the Live Oaks mansion by architect Henry Bacon is treated as its keystone.
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 92001334, listed October 22, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | East side Magnolia Dr. and 7301-7601, 7424 and 7506 Masonboro Sound Rd., Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | New Hanover County |
| Listed | October 22, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92001334 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1835; ca. 1870-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Henry Bacon (architect) for Live Oaks; Lynch & Foard (architects); Leslie Boney (architect) |
| Architectural style | Italian Renaissance; Colonial Revival; vernacular cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Entertainment/Recreation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State, Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Non-contributing buildings were noted as numerous, but the form does not state the overall current condition or use of the district. |
| Acreage | 282 |
| Coordinates | 34.17778, -77.84672 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 92001334.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986978
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.