Morgan House
Why it's listed
Morgan House is a two-story temple-form dwelling on US 17 near South Mills in Pasquotank County. Clad in beaded weatherboards and set on brick piers, it has a pedimented west front with a large lunette of radiating panes in the gable and a small Palladian-style entrance porch with Doric columns. A chimney brick inscribed with the initials SH and the date July 15, 1826 records when it was built. Local tradition, though undocumented, names a Mr. Hinton as builder, and later maps tie the property to the Hinton family before the Morgans acquired it in the 1880s. Inside, a transverse hall holds a graceful two-flight stair with curved brackets, and the upstairs southeast bedroom has a fine Federal mantel. The house was recognized as an especially fine example of a type that marks the move from side-hall plans to a central-entrance, cross-hall arrangement, with classic moldings in the manner of Asher Benjamin.
Significance in brief: The house is considered one of the finest examples of the small group of temple-form houses in North Carolina. It represents the shift from the side-hall plan to a pedimented front with a central entrance opening onto a cross hall with paired rooms behind. Its three-part design, classical detailing and fine stair place it among the best of its type in the state.
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 72000984, listed February 1, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of South Mills off U.S. 17, South Mills |
|---|---|
| County | Pasquotank County |
| Listed | February 1, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000984 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Local tradition, undocumented, credits a Mr. Hinton, possibly William S. Hinton |
| Architectural style | Temple-form house with Federal and classical detailing, in the style of Asher Benjamin |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, altered, on its original site, and used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 36.41320, -76.33356 (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 72000984.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987178
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.