Murphy-Lamb House and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Near Garland in western Sampson County stands a two-story, single-pile Federal farmhouse built about 1835 for Archibald Murphy. It has a five-bay facade, an engaged front porch, rear shed rooms, and brick end chimneys, and it sits on a shaded knoll above cleared fields and the Big Coharie Creek. Inside, two large carved Federal mantels are counted among the most elaborate in the county. Murphy left after his wife and son died in the 1840s, and James H. Lamb, a leading planter, acquired the property in the 1850s. He gave the house to his son Allen in 1870, and the Lamb family kept it for generations. The farm includes the Lamb family cemetery, two Murphy gravestones moved from their original cemetery, and plain outbuildings. The property was recognized as a fine example of late Federal architecture and as a representative of antebellum plantation development along the creek.
Significance in brief: The house is described as one of two distinguished late Federal houses in rural Sampson County, identical in form to the 1840 Samuel Johnson House, with some of the county's finest carved mantels. Its Big Coharie Creek frontage and two burial sites represent pre-Civil War plantation development. It also has a long association with the locally prominent Lamb family.
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 86000570, listed March 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1135 S of US 701, Garland |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | March 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000570 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Unknown (built about 1835 for Archibald Murphy) |
| Architectural style | Late Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house is stated to be unoccupied; condition is marked good and the 1980s survey says the photograph accurately depicts its condition. A ca. 1910 cabin on the property was being renovated as a retreat. |
| Acreage | 288.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.79640, -78.35969 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 86000570.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987247
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.