Perry-Spruill House
Also known as: Spruill House
Why it's listed
This story-and-a-half frame cottage at 326 Washington Street in Plymouth was built between 1882 and 1884 for Theodore A. Perry, probably by local house carpenter Joseph A. Latham. Its high hip roof is crossed by gables trimmed with sawn bargeboards, fleur-de-lys eaves ornament, pierced finials and pointed Gothic windows. Inside are fourteen-foot ceilings, a center-hall plan, a bracketed open-string stair and a slate mantel incised with fret and floral motifs. A lattice-work porch links the house to a detached dining room and kitchen. Jeremiah C. Spruill bought the property in 1895 and added outbuildings; a smokehouse and woodhouse survive. He ran J.C. Spruill & Co., a leading general merchandise business, served as county commissioner and belonged to the Plymouth Methodist Church. The house was listed for its link to the town's commercial growth, for its association with Spruill, and as a rare urban use of the Gothic Revival style in eastern North Carolina.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an uncommon example of the Downingesque Gothic Revival cottage applied to an urban residence in eastern North Carolina. It is also tied to Plymouth's commercial growth and to merchant Jeremiah C. Spruill, who owned it from 1895 and ran J.C. Spruill & Co.
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 85000905, listed April 25, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 326 Washington St., Plymouth |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | April 25, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000905 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific dates 1882-1884) |
| Architect / builder | Joseph A. Latham (?) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence, occupied and in good condition; stabilized and rehabilitated after 1978, with some gable sawnwork replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Plymouth Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.86401, -76.74872 (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 85000905.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679818
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.