Perry-Cherry House
Why it's listed
Built about 1904 for Katie D. Lee and Daniel Perry on a lot inherited from her family, this two-story house at 308 W. Main Street in Mount Olive combines Neo Classical and Colonial Revival design. Its facade is dominated by a semi-circular two-story portico with monumental Ionic columns. Around 1933, during the ownership of L. G. and Bessie Welling Geddie, the gable roof became a nearly pyramidal hip roof, the front wraparound porch was removed, a side porch became a sunroom, and bathrooms were added, including one lined with black glass tile. Geddie was an original investor in the Mount Olive Pickle Company. The Cherry family bought the house in 1937; the family's insurance firm, founded in 1892, is the oldest continuously operating business in town. The house stands in a well-kept early twentieth century neighborhood and is described as one of the best preserved examples of its styles in Mount Olive. It has been vacant since 1984 but is maintained.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of the best examples in Mount Olive of early and later Neo Classical and Colonial Revival styling. It is tied to L. G. and Bessie Welling Geddie, early investors in the Mount Olive Pickle Company, and to the Cherry family, founders of the town's oldest continuously operating firm. It also reflects the town's early twentieth century growth.
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 86000392, listed March 13, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 308 W. Main St., Mount Olive |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | March 13, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000392 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Neo Classical / Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since December 1984, but described as well maintained; the form lists the condition as excellent and altered. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.19758, -78.07014 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 86000392.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679817
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.