Holden-Roberts Farm
Also known as: Rolling Acres Farm
Why it's listed
Holden-Roberts Farm lies about three miles east of Hillsborough in Orange County, North Carolina, and covers roughly 68.7 acres of fields and woodland. Its focal point is a frame tri-gable I-house begun in 1873 and finished in 1874 for Addison Holden, half-brother of Reconstruction Governor William Woods Holden. The house has a center hall plan, six-over-six windows, a double-leaf entry, and Greek Revival mantels, with a kitchen-parlor-porch addition from about 1900 and a wing from about 1930. Eight contributing outbuildings date from 1900 to 1950, including frame chicken houses built around 1910 by Cain Roberts, who ran a large chicken and egg operation. The farm is locally significant under Criterion A for diversified and specialized chicken farming in the early twentieth century. The house is significant under Criterion C because it is one of very few Reconstruction-era dwellings in Orange County and retains many original details.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is locally significant for its largely intact complex representing diversified and specialized chicken farming in the first half of the twentieth century. The farmhouse is significant as a fine vernacular tri-gable I-house with machine-made details and as one of very few dwellings built in Orange County during Reconstruction.
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 02000436, listed May 2, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NC 1002, 1 mi. E of NC 1538, Hillsborough |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | May 2, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000436 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1873-1874 |
| Architectural style | Tri-gable I-house with modest Greek Revival detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Agricultural use has changed; livestock and poultry are no longer raised, and the farm produces grass hay. |
| Acreage | 68.7 |
| Coordinates | 36.11078, -79.03604 (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 02000436.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19880287
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.