Butler, Marion, Birthplace
Why it's listed
Near Salemburg in Sampson County, this one-story frame farmhouse dates to about 1860 and was built for Wiley Butler, a moderately prosperous farmer and merchant. His son Marion Butler was born here in 1863. Marion Butler became a newspaper editor, state senator, president of the North Carolina Farmer's Alliance, chairman of the national Populist Party, and a U.S. Senator from 1895 to 1901. He sponsored rural free delivery legislation and was called the father of that service. The house is a center-hall, double-pile plan with a hipped metal roof, a front porch, a later rear ell, and scrolled gable ornaments added in the 1890s. Inside, the plastered rooms keep simple vernacular mantels, four-panel doors, and woodwork painted maroon and gold. The house has been vacant for years, shaded by four surviving oaks. It was listed mainly for its link to Butler, since no other structures closely associated with his work remain.
Significance in brief: It is the birthplace of Marion Butler (1863-1938), a leader of the state and national Populist movement, U.S. Senator from 1895 to 1901, and sponsor of rural free delivery legislation. It is also presented as a modest example of a middle-class farmhouse of the Civil War era that retains much of its woodwork. The form adds that the tract may hold archaeological evidence of 19th- and early 20th-century farming practices.
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 86000552, listed March 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 242 at SR 1414, Salemburg |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | March 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000552 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1860 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built for Wiley Butler) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant for a number of years; condition described as fair. The owner is said to be willing to sell it to a party interested in restoration. |
| Acreage | 45 |
| Coordinates | 35.04008, -78.46845 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 86000552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19874455
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.