Jones-Lee House
Why it's listed
Built between 1890 and 1898 by local contractor Charles T. Munford, this two-story frame house at 805 East Evans Street in Greenville is the last residence left in an urban renewal area that once held a late nineteenth century neighborhood. Its L-shaped plan and tall, narrow form are typical of modest houses built in North Carolina's growing towns, but its decoration is unusually complete. Bands of scalloped shingles, applied half-timbering, a union jack panel, sawn gable ornament and a latticed porch give the exterior its Queen Anne character. Inside, the house keeps plastered walls, French doors, beaded wainscot and a chamfered parlor mantel. Munford likely drew on pattern books, and he built several similar houses nearby. The Jones family lived here from 1926, and the house was altered little beyond enclosing a breezeway and adding a bathroom in 1959. It was listed as a rare surviving example of late nineteenth century taste in a town that has lost most of its early buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a representative example of late 19th century eclectic architectural taste, shaped by pattern books and magazines. It retains unusually intact and elaborate surface decoration. It is the lone residential building left in an urban renewal area and one of few surviving late 19th century resources in a town that has lost most of its early buildings.
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 80002894, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 805 E. Evans St., Greenville |
|---|---|
| County | Pitt County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002894 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Charles T. Munford, contractor |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Greenville, which bought the lot in 1979 and intended to raze the house and sell the land for commercial development; the former owner was renting it until moving out in 1980. The house was described as unaltered except for minor changes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.60765, -77.37441 (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 80002894.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19874748
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.