Stigerwalt, John, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1811 for John Stigerwalt Jr., this two-story brick house with attic sits on a knoll beside the old Beatty Ford Road in Rowan County. Its walls are laid in Flemish bond with random glazed headers. A massive east chimney takes up over half of the east wall and is decorated with diamond-pattern brickwork. On the front, arches of glazed brick frame a carved stone clock face and sundial inscribed with the builder's name and the date 11 October 1811, a feature described as unique in the state. Stigerwalt never finished the interior, and the house was occupied unfinished through the 19th century. It later passed through several owners, including a miller and the Ketner family, who added a rear shed around 1919. The property was listed for its connection to German settlers in the piedmont, its link to the locally prominent Stigerwalt family, and its distinctive brickwork, which Thomas Waterman illustrated in his study of early North Carolina architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house has statewide architectural significance for its Flemish bond brickwork, bold diamond-pattern chimney, and a unique carved stone clock/sundial bearing the builder's name and the date 11 October 1811. These features tie it to the Germanic settlement of piedmont North Carolina. It is also the oldest surviving house in Rowan County associated with the locally prominent Stigerwalt family, and it was illustrated in Waterman's The Early Architecture of North Carolina.
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 84000595, listed December 20, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E of Kannapolis off SR 1221 (Old Beatty Ford Rd.), Bostian Heights |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | December 20, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000595 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built for John Stigerwalt Jr.; brickmasons unknown) |
| Architectural style | Federal period brick house with Germanic influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as relatively intact but deteriorated, with an unfinished interior; the form lists it as occupied and in use as a private residence, with eight 20th-century outbuildings on the property. |
| Acreage | 74.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.51836, -80.51641 (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 84000595.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436271
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.