Hennis, Edgar Harvey, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at 1056 North Main Street in Mount Airy, this one-and-one-half story brick veneer house combines late Victorian and Colonial Revival features. It has multiple shingled gables, a Palladian window, round-arch windows, three-sided projecting bays, a wrap-around porch, and granite used for the foundation, lintels, sills, porch plinths and retaining wall. Inside, a center hall plan retains pine wainscot, original hardware and five period mantelpieces. Edgar Harvey Hennis, a businessman who moved from drugstore owner to horse trader and livery operator and then to Chrysler dealer, had the house built for about $3,500. At the time it was the only house on Lebanon Hill, the former site of the town's first Methodist church, and neighboring homes followed through the 1910s and early 1930s. The Hennis family lived there for seventy-four years with few changes. A later owner added an attic staircase and updated the kitchen and baths while preserving original fabric. The architect is unknown.
Significance in brief: The house is a largely intact example of early twentieth century design blending late Victorian and Colonial Revival influences, with granite details typical of Mount Airy. It is the earliest known residence on Lebanon Hill, an area of early suburban growth. It is also tied to Edgar Harvey Hennis, a prominent local horse trader and Chrysler automobile dealer.
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 86000318, listed February 20, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1056 N. Main St., Mount Airy |
|---|---|
| County | Surry County |
| Listed | February 20, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000318 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-; specific date 1909 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian and Colonial Revival influences |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence in excellent condition; preserved and renovated by the later owner, with a new attic staircase and updated kitchen and baths. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Lebanon Hill Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.51208, -80.60780 (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 86000318.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19902353
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.