Kerr, Gen. William, House
Why it's listed
Built between 1817 and 1820 on Beatties Ford Road, now Deal Road, in Rowan County, North Carolina, this two-story frame house was the seat of a plantation of about 459 acres assembled by William H. Kerr. Kerr rose through the Rowan County Militia and became a brigadier general of the 7th Brigade, North Carolina Militia, in 1827. The house is noted for its Federal architecture, including a dentil cornice on the front and rear elevations, Flemish-bond chimneys, and molded Federal surrounds. Its interior follows a Quaker plan, with original stained and grained woodwork and corner fireplaces with matching mantels. The front porch was rebuilt and a rear ell added in the late 1930s, but the original fabric of the main block is largely intact. Later owner John L. Hedrick grew into one of the largest landowners in Rowan County. Its significance lies in Kerr's and Hedrick's local prominence and in the architectural survival of the house.
Significance in brief: The house is regarded as one of the most important members of a small group of surviving Federal houses in rural Rowan County and one of the best crafted and least altered of them. Its interior retains Quaker plan, original stained and grained finish, and corner fireplaces. Its dentil cornice is described as the only surviving Federal-period example of that device in the county. The nomination also ties the property to Kerr's militia career and to John L. Hedrick, who became one of the largest landowners in Rowan County.
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 82003505, listed September 23, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Enochville on SR 1353, Enochville |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | September 23, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003505 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1817-1820 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered in the late 1930s with a rebuilt front porch and rear ell and shed; occupied by tenants in recent years. |
| Acreage | 58.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.54721, -80.72453 (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 82003505.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19864287
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.