Faison, William E., House
Why it's listed
Near Giddensville in northeastern Sampson County, North Carolina, this two-story, hip-roofed farmhouse was built around 1870 for William E. Faison, a Confederate officer who farmed a plantation of about 3,670 acres. The house blends Greek Revival and Italianate styles. A one-story porch has square posts, segmental arches, curved brackets and dentil molding, and the cornice carries bracketed details. Inside, a wide central hall holds a staircase with a three-tier polygonal newel post and a walnut handrail, described as unique in the county. A rear kitchen wing, possibly moved from elsewhere, shows earlier Federal and Greek Revival detail. A small family graveyard on the property holds Faison's Confederate marker. Local tradition names carpenter Aubyne Lewis as builder. The house was listed for its architecture, as a locally important example of rural design influenced by the nearby railroad town of Faison. Preservation North Carolina later held it before sale with preservation covenants.
Significance in brief: The nomination finds the house a locally important example of a late Greek Revival dwelling with Italianate brackets and delicate craftsmanship, meeting Criterion C for architecture. It reflects the prosperity and cultural influence brought by the railroad from neighboring Duplin County. Its staircase is described as unique in the county, and its rear wing is a rare surviving example of transitional Federal/Greek Revival work.
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 04001526, listed January 20, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NC 50 at jct. with NC 1757 (10901 Suttontown Rd.), Giddensville |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | January 20, 2005 |
| Reference number | 04001526 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | Ca. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | Lewis, Aubyne |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently a single dwelling with a cemetery; the present owners are restoring it, starting with the kitchen wing and second-floor rooms. |
| Acreage | 2.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.15916, -78.17145 (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 04001526.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19865170
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.