Nash-Hooper House
Also known as: William Hooper House
Why it's listed
Built in 1772 by Francis Nash, who later died a Revolutionary War general at the Battle of Germantown, this braced oak frame house in Hillsborough, North Carolina, rises two stories over an elevated basement. It has a gable roof, an exterior chimney at each end, and a center-hall plan. A one-story wing added in 1819 gave it an L-shape, and a front porch dates from the late nineteenth century. William Hooper bought the house in 1782 and lived there until he died in 1790. Hooper, a Boston-born lawyer and politician, represented North Carolina in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. The house is the only surviving building associated with him. Governor William A. Graham lived there from 1869 to 1875. The property has never been restored and is structurally little altered, though it needed paint and plaster repairs. It was unoccupied when documented, had long served as a private residence, and was not open to visitors.
Significance in brief: It was the home of William Hooper, North Carolina's signer of the Declaration of Independence, from 1782 until his death in 1790. It is the only surviving building that can be associated with him. It was originally built by Revolutionary War general Francis Nash, and Governor William A. Graham also lived there from 1869 to 1875.
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 71000610, listed November 11, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 118 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | November 11, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000610 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1782-1790 |
| Architect / builder | Francis Nash (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated November 11, 1971 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as structurally sound but needing painting and plaster work; never restored and little altered; unoccupied at the time of the form, though long used as a private residence and not open to visitors. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Hillsborough Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.06763, -79.10057 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 71000610.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6966757
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.