Friendly Hills
Also known as: Banning, Margaret Culkin, House
Why it's listed
Friendly Hills is a hilltop estate of 17.5 acres at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains, just outside Tryon, North Carolina. Its main house, built in 1924 for Spartanburg investment banker Andrew Law, is a two-story Tudor Revival dwelling with stucco and half-timbered walls, rough stone chimneys and porches, casement windows, and a slate roof. Inside, the living room is fully paneled with exposed ceiling beams, and its stone fireplace carries an oak mantel carved by the Tryon Toymakers and Woodcarvers Shop. The grounds include a 1920s-1930s swimming pool, a small log cabin, and a stone fish pool. The property is recognized for its architecture and for its link to author Margaret Culkin Banning, who bought it in 1936 and spent part of each year here until 1982. She wrote novels and magazine pieces, some set in a fictionalized Tryon, and used the cabin as a writing retreat. Later outbuildings were designed to match the house.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be one of the most outstanding Tudor Revival examples in an area where English revival styles were popular in the early twentieth century (Criterion C). It is also tied to author Margaret Culkin Banning, who owned it seasonally from 1936 until her death in 1982 and wrote in its log cabin (Criterion B).
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 98000731, listed June 26, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 140 Country Club Rd., Tryon |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Listed | June 26, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98000731 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1924-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Gaines, Wright J. builder |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Literature |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form reports a high degree of integrity, with 1980s alterations and three newer auxiliary buildings. |
| Acreage | 17.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.22110, -82.25081 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 98000731.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5504070
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.