Holly Springs Masonic Lodge
Why it's listed
Holly Springs Masonic Lodge No. 115 is a two-story, three-bay wooden building on Raleigh Street, completed around 1852 with Greek Revival-influenced features such as a side-gable roof with returns and a front porch. Weatherboard siding covers a post-and-beam frame set on stone piers. The first floor served as a school and as rental space for civic, religious and governmental groups, and was opened up by removing a partition in 1880. The second-floor lodge room keeps its original pine walls, ceiling, flooring, officers' stations and podiums, arranged according to Masonic tradition. The building is considered Wake County's oldest surviving Masonic lodge and school building and the only antebellum lodge in Holly Springs. It housed the town's earliest school, including classes for girls beginning in the 1850s, and the lodge later took control of the Holly Springs Institute, renamed the Masonic Institute in 1892. Its significance covers social history and education from about 1852 to 1959.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the lodge is the only surviving antebellum Masonic lodge in Holly Springs and Wake County, and the oldest extant Masonic lodge and school building in the county. It housed the town's earliest school and its first school for female students. It meets Criterion A for Social History and Education.
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 10000164, listed April 7, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 224 Raleigh St., Holly Springs |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | April 7, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000164 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1852-1959 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition; still used as a Masonic meeting hall, with some structural problems noted since the 1980s. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.65390, -78.83214 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 10000164.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708642
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.