Mill Farm Inn
Why it's listed
Completed in 1939 to a design by Chicago architect Russell S. Walcott, Mill Farm Inn is a two-story Colonial Revival building of local blue granite on Harmon Field Road near Tryon. It was built for Frances Williams, a former boarding house operator who had lived in France, and it replaced an earlier farmhouse on the site. Williams opened the inn to guests in July 1939, offering meals and requiring stays of at least a month, and she advertised in the New York Times Book Review. The building is regarded as an intact example of Walcott's Colonial Revival work, shaped by his later move toward a more modern aesthetic. Its significance also lies in its role as a purpose-designed inn in a town where most tourist lodging was converted residences. The inn has continued to operate, with its period of significance running from 1939 to 1958.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the inn is a rare surviving example of a building designed expressly as tourist accommodation in Tryon, reflecting the town's role as a resort for literary and artistic visitors. It also argues the inn is an intact Colonial Revival design by Walcott, a Chicago architect who retired to Tryon.
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 08001366, listed January 22, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 701 Harmon Field Rd., Tryon |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Listed | January 22, 2009 |
| Reference number | 08001366 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1958 |
| Architect / builder | Walcott, Russell S. (architect) |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in operation as an inn. |
| Acreage | 3.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.22464, -82.24074 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 08001366.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987103
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.