Carson-Andrews Mill and Ben F.W. Andrews House
Also known as: Andrews Mill
Why it's listed
Along Roberson Creek in rural east central Rutherford County stands a heavy timber frame grist mill, built ca. 1830-1835 by James Withrow Carson on a mortared stone foundation. Its unpainted weatherboards, shallow molded eaves and window surrounds show a transitional Federal and Greek Revival finish. The mill is regarded as the oldest known frame grist mill in North Carolina west of the Yadkin River. Its only notable alteration is a louvered cupola added by the Andrews family, probably in the 1880s. Beside it, the house built in 1908 for Ben F. W. Andrews is a two-story Colonial Revival dwelling. The property was a milling site from 1767, when Thomas Welch received a grant for land including a mill shoal, and it passed through the Cansler and Carson families before the Andrews family acquired it between 1878 and 1886. Andrews added saw and planing mills and a cotton gin. Industrial activity largely ended in the 1930s.
Significance in brief: The mill is described as the oldest known frame grist mill in North Carolina west of the Yadkin River and one of the oldest grist mills in the state, with statewide significance in architecture and industry. The Colonial Revival house, completed in 1908 for Ben F. W. Andrews, is presented as an important local example of its style in rural Rutherford County. The property's milling history is traced back to a 1767 land grant.
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 08000495, listed June 4, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Both sides of NC 1007, E., S., and W. of jct. with NC 1796, Washburn |
|---|---|
| County | Rutherford County |
| Listed | June 4, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000495 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1830-1927 |
| Architectural style | Federal/Greek Revival (mill); Colonial Revival (house) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mill structurally sound and remarkably well-preserved; unpainted weatherboard sheathing; some water damage in the northeast corner; the Andrews barn was pulled down in 2004. |
| Coordinates | 35.40990, -81.83805 (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 08000495.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19871918
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.