Hawkins-Hartness House
Why it's listed
Dr. William J. Hawkins is said to have designed this Victorian house at 310 North Blount Street in Raleigh after his brother, Dr. Alexander B. Hawkins, bought the lot in 1881. Built of pressed brick, it rises two and a half stories beneath complex slate roofs and is dominated by a four-story tower. Its exterior is unusually severe for the period, relieved by an Eastlake-style porch said to have been added at the request of Mrs. Hawkins. Inside, a center-hall plan holds rooms with individually modeled plaster ceiling medallions, chamfered panel woodwork, mahogany, pine and walnut finishes, and decorative mantels. Dr. Hawkins also devised a private water system serving the house and the nearby governor's mansion. Later owners included Annie Sloan Hartness, whose husband served as North Carolina Secretary of State. The state acquired the property in 1969 and converted it to offices with few changes, preserving the interior and its place among the surviving late nineteenth century houses on the street.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites the house for the imposing dignity of its relatively severe exterior and the fine craftsmanship of its interiors, including elaborate plaster ceiling medallions and original woodwork. It is one of a group of late nineteenth century houses remaining on North Blount Street. It is also an exemplary urban dwelling preserved through well-executed adaptation for office use.
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 72000999, listed February 1, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 310 N. Blount St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | February 1, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000999 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Dr. William J. Hawkins (designed the house, per family tradition) |
| Architectural style | Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and unaltered per the form; converted to state office use (State Department of Local Affairs) with minimal changes, with practically all original interior finish remaining. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.80542, -78.61556 (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 72000999.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20065105
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.