Powell House
Why it's listed
Set in a valley near a highway in Wake Forest, Wake County, the Powell House is a large two-story frame plantation house in the early Federal style, built on a half-basement of rock-faced ashlar. Its center-hall plan, two rooms deep, retains much of its early interior, including a chest-high paneled wainscot and a semi-elliptical plastered arch in the hall. The house is probably early nineteenth century, and the nomination attributes it to Jesse Powell, a planter and active Whig politician. Powell was the son of Dempsey Powell, who had been an early resident and militia lieutenant in the 1770s. In 1828 Powell advertised that he could board ten or twelve students from the nearby Wake Forest Pleasant Grove Academy in his home. Alterations include a portico added about 1940 and rear additions, but the interior interest and the surrounding group of early outbuildings give the property its significance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an impressive early Federal plantation house, distinguished by its large scale and unusual interior finish, with interior woodwork of interesting vernacular character that is unusual in Wake County. It also cites a good collection of early outbuildings and an association with the locally prominent planter Jesse Powell, who is said to have built it and who hosted a nearby academy's students.
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 74001381, listed October 15, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW of Wake Forest off U.S. 1, Wake Forest |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | October 15, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001381 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1800 |
| Architectural style | Early Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Portico added about 1940; rear additions and some windows reworked; interior retains most early Federal fabric. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 35.92353, -78.54233 (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 74001381.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q25203215
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.