Barker House
Why it's listed
Built around 1782 as a story-and-a-half dwelling in Edenton, this frame house with beaded weatherboards and a brick foundation was later raised to two stories and enlarged in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. Its front porch, pedimented rear entrance and paired exterior chimneys reflect those changes. Thomas Barker, a lawyer, planter and colonial agent to England, acquired the lots in 1756, and his wife Penelope is traditionally associated with the 1774 Edenton Tea Party. The interior keeps Georgian woodwork from the original construction, an Adamesque mantel from the second period, and Greek Revival woodwork added with the enlargement. The house was moved about three blocks from its original Broad Street location and reoriented to face the water. It is now the visitor center for Edenton, with exhibits installed in the two south rooms.
Significance in brief: The house is associated with Thomas Barker, a lawyer, planter and colonial agent, and with Penelope Barker, who is traditionally linked to the 1774 Edenton Tea Party. Its construction-period and later Georgian and Greek Revival woodwork, and the stages of enlargement, illustrate changing architectural styles over more than a century.
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). NRHP reference 14000993, listed December 1, 2014. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1785 Barker Rd., Henderson |
|---|---|
| County | Vance County |
| Listed | December 1, 2014 |
| Reference number | 14000993 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1782-1899 |
| Architectural style | Georgian; Adamesque; Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved from its original site and now used as a visitor center |
| Acreage | 30 |
| Coordinates | 36.37826, -78.50233 (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 14000993.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986523
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.