Graves-Stewart House
Also known as: Offices for First American Federal Savings and Loan Associat
Why it's listed
Built in the 1840s, though the date is uncertain, this two-story frame house on College Street in Clinton is a large example of temple-form Greek Revival design. It has a pedimented roof, a hip-roofed front porch with Doric capitals, and a central entrance framed by a battered surround with dog-ear crossettes. The house is tied to the Clinton Female Academy, later the Clinton Female Institute. Luke C. Graves, a Vermont native, served as its principal from about 1854 until his death in 1869. Jonathan Lafayette Stewart, a lawyer, Baptist minister and state senator, led the school from 1874 to 1878, and his family lived in the house until 1941. It is the only surviving structure associated with the school. The house was moved about two hundred feet in the early 1880s, and a carriage house also survives. A savings and loan association bought the property in 1980 and restored it in 1981 for use as offices, with limited changes at the rear.
Significance in brief: The house is the only surviving structure tied to the Clinton Female Academy and reflects the development of education in Sampson County. It is linked to school leaders Luke C. Graves and Jonathan Lafayette Stewart. It is also an important example of temple-form Greek Revival architecture, with battered, dog-ear crossetted door and window surrounds.
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 83001913, listed September 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 600 College St., Clinton |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | September 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001913 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (temple form) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in commercial use as savings and loan offices after a 1981 restoration and renovation. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 34.99270, -78.31932 (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 83001913.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19878547
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.