Turner, John T. and Mary, House
Why it's listed
This two-story I-house at 1002 Oberlin Road in Raleigh was built around 1889 by John T. Turner, an African American entrepreneur, and his wife Mary, in the freedmen's village of Oberlin. The one-story rear section appears to be the original house, and the two-story front block was added about 1910. Its double-tier porch with Tuscan columns, polygonal bay, slate roof and weatherboard siding mix classical and Queen Anne elements. Inside, a central stair hall, beadboard wainscoting and elaborate mantels with mirrored overmantels survive. At a time when small cottages were typical in Oberlin, this house was larger and more imposing. Turner ran a grocery, held bank shares, invested in funeral businesses and founded a shoe store on Hargett Street. The house is valued for its high architectural integrity and as a symbol of the success some Oberlin residents achieved despite racism and poverty after the Civil War. The period of significance ends in 1922, the year of Turner's death.
Significance in brief: The house is locally significant as a well-preserved I-house with classical and Queen Anne details, larger and more imposing than the small cottages typical of Oberlin. It reflects the financial and social success of John T. Turner, an African American entrepreneur, despite the challenges of racism and poverty after the Civil War. It is also tied to the development of Oberlin as a stable, middle-class Black community.
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 02000499, listed May 16, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1002 Oberlin Rd., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | May 16, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000499 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1889-1922 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne; Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; the form states the house has remained relatively unchanged since the 1920s apart from kitchen remodeling and water damage repairs. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 35.79806, -78.66005 (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 02000499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20714122
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.