Little, John Phillips, House
Why it's listed
Set near the crest of a hill above the Little River in northwest Richmond County, this two-story frame house was built about 1850-1855 by John Phillips Little, a wealthy planter and grist mill owner. It has a low hip roof, a center-hall double-pile plan, and a front porch with four fluted Doric columns. Little's family held large amounts of land and slaves, and the property reflects the cotton economy of the region before the Civil War. Little moved to a new house in 1879, and the older house was then rented to tenants until 1972. Minimal maintenance during that time left it almost unchanged. His grandson Calvin Little, the last family owner, died in 1982 and left a large estate to religious and charitable groups. The house and 54 acres passed to a preservation fund and then to a private owner who began restoration. Outbuildings, including a blacksmith's shop, survive nearby, and archeological remains may exist on the grounds.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a little-altered example of an antebellum Greek Revival plantation dwelling and one of the few such residences left in the county. It reflects the cotton economy and slaveholding wealth of the Little family, and the form ties it to planters and mill owners and to philanthropist Calvin Little. Archeological remains on the tract may also yield information on nineteenth-century farming and milling.
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 84000590, listed December 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off NC 73, Little's Mills |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | December 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000590 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | John Phillips Little (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; the porch was taken down for reconstruction and the house was undergoing restoration at the time of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 54 |
| Coordinates | 35.15345, -79.91985 (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 84000590.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986817
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.