Mills-Screven Plantation
Also known as: Hilltop
Why it's listed
Built as a two-story plantation house on a long rectangular plan under a gable roof, the house near Tryon in Polk County was probably completed by the 1840s, with possible earlier origins and later expansion. Its transitional Federal/Greek Revival woodwork, mantels and Greek Revival doorways reflect the influence of Asher Benjamin's builders' guides. Govan Mills acquired the property in 1839 and was a wealthy planter whose family was among the most influential in the region. Theodore Thomas Ballenger later owned it, and he and his father-in-law built the Oak Hall Hotel in 1881-1882, an event the nomination links to the start of Tryon as a resort. The house is regarded as possibly the largest antebellum house in western North Carolina. Four nineteenth-century outbuildings remain, including a stone springhouse dated 1850.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the largest and most unusual antebellum residences in western North Carolina, with fine transitional Federal/Greek Revival interior and exterior detail. It also cites its association with planter Govan Mills and with Theodore Thomas Ballenger, a business and political leader of Polk County who helped build the Oak Hall Hotel that marked the start of Tryon as a resort.
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 83001904, listed February 17, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Tryon on SR 1509, Tryon |
|---|---|
| County | Polk County |
| Listed | February 17, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001904 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1820-1840 |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered interior with modernized rooms; the form states the property was rehabilitated and maintained by recent owners. |
| Acreage | 11.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.21724, -82.22505 (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 83001904.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19720545
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.