Henderson, Archibald, Law Office
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Church and Fisher streets in Salisbury, this small one-story frame building served as the law office of Archibald Henderson, who built it on the southeast corner of his lot sometime after 1796. It has a low hip roof, a Flemish bond foundation, a three-bay front with a transom over the paneled door, and nine-over-nine windows. Inside is a single plastered room with a Federal style mantel and a paneled cupboard that appears original. The lot was part of Salisbury's original town plan and once belonged to Judge Spruce Macay, who trained Andrew Jackson and William R. Davie in the law. Henderson was a Federalist congressman and later a state legislator. The property passed through his descendants until 1952, when it was given to Rowan County. It is considered one of the best preserved examples in North Carolina of the small offices used by lawyers in courthouse towns across the South.
Significance in brief: The office is argued to be one of the best preserved and most interesting examples in North Carolina of the small law offices that served lawyers in courthouse towns across the South. The lot was also owned by a series of distinguished men, including Spruce Macay, who taught Andrew Jackson and William R. Davie law, and Henderson, a congressman and legislator.
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 72000993, listed January 20, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Church and Fisher Sts., Salisbury |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | January 20, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000993 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Between 1796 and 1818 |
| Architect / builder | Archibald Henderson (built the office) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Law, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; in use for storage by Rowan County, with restoration as a law office under consideration. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.66764, -80.47201 (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 72000993.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19868066
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.