Knox Farm Historic District
Why it's listed
Knox Farm is a working farm of about 890 acres in western Rowan County, North Carolina, with some thirty-three buildings. Its oldest structure, a log spring house, dates from the late eighteenth century. Log cribs, a smokehouse and barns follow, along with a Greek Revival farmhouse built in 1854-1856 by James Graham for Robert Knox. The mule barn of 1916 and the dairy buildings of 1936 onward show how farming changed over time. The farm was reportedly built largely from logs and sawn timber grown on the family's own land. Knox Chapel Methodist Church, on land deeded in 1888, is also part of the district. The district was listed because the same family has farmed here since immigrant John Knox acquired the core of the land in the mid-eighteenth century. The buildings record a move from subsistence farming to self-sufficiency and then to a prominent modern dairy. The farm was also the birthplace of Jane Knox, mother of President James K. Polk.
Significance in brief: The district shows continuous occupation and farming by the Knox family since the mid-eighteenth century, tracing a shift from subsistence to self-sufficiency to modern dairy agri-business. It is also tied to a documented family history and, indirectly, to President James K. Polk, whose mother Jane Knox was born here in 1775.
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 83001914, listed April 1, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Knox and Amity Hill Rds., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | April 1, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001914 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1700-1799, 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architect / builder | James Graham |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival (farm seat); vernacular log and frame farm buildings |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Farm in continuing use as a dairy operation; some log buildings, such as the smokehouse and Barn I, are deteriorated. The 1856 house survives largely intact. |
| Acreage | 890 |
| Coordinates | 35.72273, -80.74796 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 83001914.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19864668
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.