Harris, Spencer, House
Also known as: Harris, William T., Homeplace
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set on a one-acre parcel surrounded by farmland near Falkland in Pitt County, North Carolina, this two-story frame house dates to about 1855. Spencer Harris, one of the county's largest landholders and merchants, had it built in the Greek Revival style. It has a symmetrical three-bay front, a center passage plan with two rooms on each side, a low hip roof, and a braced timber frame with mortised joints. Inside, the heart-pine floors, post-and-lintel mantels, four-panel doors and a cypress built-in cupboard survive. After years of neglect, the house was rehabilitated starting in 2000. The work replaced the front porch with a portico, rebuilt the termite-damaged kitchen, and altered some interior spaces. A ca. 1910 tobacco pack house, the last remaining farm outbuilding, is also included. The house stayed in the Harris family until 1918 and later belonged to the Lewis family until 2000. It was listed for its architecture as a good example of mid-nineteenth-century rural Greek Revival design.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a well-preserved example of the Greek Revival houses built in Pitt County and the region in the two decades before the Civil War. It reflects the relatively prosperous agricultural society of the county. Spencer Harris was already one of the county's largest landholders and merchants when it was built.
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 04001527, listed January 20, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1287 NC 121, Falkland |
|---|---|
| County | Pitt County |
| Listed | January 20, 2005 |
| Reference number | 04001527 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1855 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built by Spencer Harris) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated beginning in 2000-2001 after deterioration; still used as a single dwelling, with the pack house used for storage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.65447, -77.51375 (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 04001527.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19867786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.