Mount Vernon
Why it's listed
Near Woodleaf in northwest Rowan County, North Carolina, Mount Vernon is a two-story, three-bay weatherboarded frame house built around 1822 for Jacob Krider. Its most striking feature is a pair of single-shoulder chimneys joined by a brick pent on one gable end, laid in one-to-seven common bond. Inside, a center-hall plan, Federal mantels and vernacular woodgraining survive, including graining with Krider's initials. Krider, born in 1788, captained a militia unit in the War of 1812 and helped found the Western Carolinian, an influential western newspaper. The house also served as a post office. The farm included a mill, a general store and later outbuildings such as a log smokehouse, a barn, and structures from about 1917. The property was listed as the best preserved Federal plantation seat in Rowan County, reflecting the medium-scale plantation economy of the western Piedmont. The nominated 29.5 acres also take in the house, outbuildings, and the archaeological remains of the mill and dam.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is the best preserved and most intact Federal plantation seat in Rowan County, notable for its double pent chimney, brickwork, and woodgrained interiors. It is tied to Jacob Krider, a local leader and a founder of the Western Carolinian newspaper, and to the plantation, post office, store and milling economy of the western Piedmont. The mill ruins may yield information about corn, flour and saw 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 80002899, listed May 27, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1003 and SR 1986, Woodleaf |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | May 27, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002899 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Krider (builder/original owner) |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Non-Aboriginal, Architecture, Communications |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied; condition marked good and altered. The mill has collapsed and survives as ruins and remains. |
| Acreage | 29.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.78734, -80.64319 (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 80002899.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987229
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.