Mordecai Place Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Built around 1925, this two-story brick-veneered Colonial Revival house at 208 Delway Street in Raleigh was added to the Mordecai Place Historic District after being overlooked in the original 1998 listing. It has a slate gable roof, boxed cornices with returns, two interior end chimneys, and a gabled front porch with Tuscan columns sheltering a six-panel door with sidelights. A tiled porch deck extends across the front as a terrace. The land came from the Mordecai Plantation portion inherited by Martha (Patsy) Mordecai, who sold much of it for suburban development. George Little, first vice-president of Southern Railway, bought the lot in 1924 and built the house soon after; his widow lived there until 1970. Its period revival styling resembles the larger houses on the adjacent Denson parcel, while its modest size matches the Allen-developed dwellings. It contributes to the district's story of early twentieth-century suburban growth and its architecture.
Significance in brief: The house was accidentally left out of the original 1998 district listing, yet it belongs to the Mordecai Place neighborhood visually and historically. It reflects the early twentieth-century suburban growth of Raleigh on land once part of the Mordecai Plantation. It is tied to a businessman, George Little, a Southern Railway vice-president, which is typical of the district.
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 00001570, listed December 28, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 208 Delway St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | December 28, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00001570 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1925 |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single-family dwelling, as in its historic use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Oakwood Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.79108, -78.63514 (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 00001570.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17022694
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.