Dockery, Alfred, House
Why it's listed
Built of brick in Flemish bond on the Cartledge Creek plantation near Rockingham in Richmond County, the two-story hipped-roof house was the seat of Alfred Dockery's 3,200-acre estate. Family tradition dates its construction to 1827-1830, but interior evidence points to about 1840. Its center hall, plaster cornices, ceiling medallions and carved stair brackets are regarded as outstanding examples of early Greek Revival interior work in the state. Dockery was a state legislator, a delegate to the 1835 constitutional convention, a member of Congress, and president of the Baptist State Convention, and he helped secure the charter for what became Wake Forest College. The house also reflects the economics of a plantation worked by enslaved laborers, with the cotton, grain and milling interests that supported it. A 1951 restoration retained most of the original and early finishes.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the finest early brick antebellum plantation houses in North Carolina, notable for its outstanding plaster finishes and early Greek Revival work. It is also presented as a cultural artifact reflecting the plantation economy, slave labor, and planter society of the piedmont, and as associated with Alfred Dockery, a state and national political figure and Baptist leader who helped found Wake Forest College.
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 86003350, listed November 20, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E side SR 1005, 0.1 mile S of jct. with SR 1143, Rockingham |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | November 20, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86003350 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1840-1951 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1951 and occupied by the Leak family; the owners are described as the current family owners. |
| Acreage | 130 |
| Coordinates | 35.01246, -79.81717 (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 86003350.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19872682
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.