McKinnon, Kenneth, House
Also known as: McKinnon-McArthur-Kinlaw House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 about a mile east of St. Pauls, this two-story timber-framed house served as the plantation home of Kenneth McKinnon, a Scottish immigrant and wealthy planter. Its most unusual feature is an overhanging second story that creates a full-width recessed porch, with posts standing in front of it. The frame rests on brick piers and uses hewn sills, pine-log joists and cedar stump supports. Inside, simple Greek Revival details survive, including post-and-lintel mantels, four-panel doors with box locks, pine floors and wainscoting. Later changes include replaced windows, a 1960s staircase, added bathrooms and a carport, yet much of the original plan and fabric remains. McKinnon divided his land among his sons before dying in 1848, and son John received the house. Later owners included the McArthur and Kinlaw families. The house is recognized for its architecture, and the listing covers the house and about one acre of its agricultural setting.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is locally significant under Criterion C as a distinctive antebellum house. It has an unusual full-width recessed first-story porch with posts set in front of it. It keeps substantial original nineteenth-century fabric, including hewn framing, weatherboards, chimneys, pine floors, doors and Greek Revival mantels, despite later alterations.
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 05001029, listed September 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | South Side of NC 20, SE corner of NC 20 and NC 1907, St. Pauls |
|---|---|
| County | Robeson County |
| Listed | September 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001029 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1840 |
| Architect / builder | McKinnon, Kenneth, builder; McKinnon, John, builder |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling, with a secondary structure on the property; the form says it has been well maintained by subsequent owners. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.70399, -78.92727 (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 05001029.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.