Johnson, Kemp B., House
Also known as: K.B. Johnson House
Why it's listed
Set well back from Johnson Pond Road near Fuquay-Varina, this Queen Anne-style house was built around 1896 by lumberman and businessman Kemp B. Johnson for his new bride, using sawnwork from his own lumberyard. It began as a one-story house with a high hipped roof and twin front gables. Around 1905 Johnson raised part of it to one and a half stories and added a large dormer over the stair hall and a rear balcony to make room for his growing family. The front porch, with turned posts, balustrade, brackets and pendant-trimmed cornice, is the most striking feature and has no match elsewhere in Wake County. Inside, the center-hall plan survives with beadboard ceilings, mantels and fluted trim. A brick storage building and a frame carriage house also contribute to the property. It was recognized for architecture as one of the finest Queen Anne houses in southern Wake County, retaining a high degree of integrity despite modest later changes.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the finest and most intact examples of Queen Anne architecture in southern Wake County. Its elaborate sawnwork porch, with pendants unlike any other porch detail in the county, is its most distinctive feature. The c. 1905 enlargement kept the Queen Anne character and made the house more high-style. It also retains a high degree of integrity.
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 05001028, listed September 15, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7116 Johnson Pond Rd., Fuquay--Varina |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | September 15, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001028 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | circa 1896, circa 1905 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a single dwelling with secondary structures; the interior was extensively and sensitively renovated in the late twentieth century. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.59966, -78.76321 (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 05001028.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20065306
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.