Applewhite, W. H., House
Why it's listed
Set among the remains of a shade-tree grove on Route 58, between Toisnot Swamp and Contentnea Creek near Stantonsburg, this two-story, single-pile farmhouse was probably built in the late 1840s for planter Henry Applewhite. It has a three-bay facade, end chimneys, and a double-gallery porch added around the turn of the twentieth century. His son William H. Applewhite, a Confederate officer who returned home in 1865, probably remodeled the house between 1870 and 1880, adding Victorian features such as narrow windows and sawn ornament while the Greek Revival massing remained. Inside, the plan may originally have been hall-and-parlor, and the mantels vary from simple to reeded. A tenant house, packhouse, stables, sheds and tobacco barns surround it. The property has stayed in the Applewhite family since 1841 except for a short Depression-era sale, and it was recognized as a representative plantation reflecting the county's agricultural and commercial development before and after the Civil War.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a typical, substantial and plain Greek Revival dwelling of the late 1840s in Wilson County, later remodeled with Victorian details. It and its outbuildings represent a long-running farming and commercial enterprise of the Applewhite family, who have owned the land since 1841 apart from a brief Depression-era gap.
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 86000696, listed February 13, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off NC 58, Stantonsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County |
| Listed | February 13, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000696 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, with later Victorian detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied by tenants since the early twentieth century; listed as a private residence in good, altered condition on its original site. |
| Acreage | 176.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.62386, -77.82123 (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 86000696.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708426
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.