Pugh-Boykin House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 306 Elizabeth Street in Clinton, North Carolina, follows a side-hall plan and was built in the 1850s for Thomas L. Pugh, a farmer and tailor. Construction is attributed to Thomas Lee, regarded as the most prominent known mid-19th century builder in the Clinton area. The house departs from the county's other side-hall Greek Revival homes by using a hipped roof rather than a gable front. Its windows and doors carry battered, peaked surrounds with dog-ears, and large paneled pilasters mark the four corners. In 1872 Thomas Wright Boykin, a farmer from a prominent county family, bought the house. Virginia Pigford acquired it in 1923 as a rental, and her descendants have owned it since. Alterations in the 1950s, when it held apartments, removed the mantels and added ceilings. The house was listed for illustrating Clinton's mid-century growth, Lee's work, and the local Greek Revival style.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house reflects Clinton's mid-19th century growth from a small governmental center into the county's chief commercial and educational town. It is a handsome example of the town's Greek Revival residences, with battered, peaked, dog-eared window surrounds and an unusual hip roof. It is also one of only several surviving structures attributed to Thomas Lee, a prominent local builder.
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 86000576, listed March 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 306 Elizabeth St., Clinton |
|---|---|
| County | Sampson County |
| Listed | March 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000576 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850s |
| Architect / builder | Thomas Lee (attrib.) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence by a descendant of the 1923 purchaser; mantels were removed and ceilings altered when it was used for apartments in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.99440, -78.32529 (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 86000576.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987692
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.