Curtis, William A., House
Also known as: Villa Florenza
Why it's listed
Built about 1915 on Poole Road in Raleigh's Lincoln Park subdivision, this two-story frame house has a pyramidal roof, a pedimented east wing, a wraparound porch with classical columns, and bays with leaded glass transoms. It was built by William A. Curtis, who worked as a drayman, produce vendor and laundry worker, together with his mother Jennie and siblings. The family home remained in the Curtis family for three generations. Its interior is largely original, including a Neoclassical Revival staircase, pocket doors, and a set of mantels with overmantels. The house stands out as the largest dwelling in Lincoln Park on the 1949 Sanborn map. It is listed for its architectural distinction as a stylish, well-preserved dwelling built by an African American family in early twentieth-century Raleigh. The exterior has deteriorated in recent years, and porch columns have been removed for safekeeping.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the largest and most stylish dwellings built for an African American family in Raleigh during the Jim Crow era, with its Late Victorian and Neoclassical Revival design and largely intact interior. It is regarded as one of the most significant African American dwellings in the city from the first quarter of the twentieth 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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 08000939, listed September 24, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1415 Poole Rd., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | September 24, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000939 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1915 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Neoclassical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied since 1997 with exterior deterioration, broken and missing window panes, and plywood-covered first-story windows; the house is described as structurally sound. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.78083, -78.62726 (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.
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 08000939.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20065137
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.