Broad-Kenan Streets Historic District
Why it's listed
Northwest of downtown Wilson, North Carolina, this neighborhood covers 26 blocks and includes 218 houses built from the 1890s to the Depression. One- and two-story homes are weatherboarded or brick-veneered, and many have shingled gables and slate roofs. They sit on tree-lined streets with mature oaks and planted yards. Broad Street is the widest corridor and holds many of the finest early 1900s houses. The eastern end has Queen Anne and Colonial Revival homes, while blocks west of Daniel Street are mostly 1920s and early 1930s styles. More than 60 percent of the houses are bungalows, and Tudor Revival cottages were the most popular design of the 1930s. The district also has 73 garages, a former filling station and the Woman's Club building. Since the 1960s, some houses have become offices or apartments, and a few large modern buildings intrude. Of 345 buildings, 293 contribute to the district's character, which reflects Wilson's growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Significance in brief: The district is described as a cohesive late 19th- and early 20th-century neighborhood showing a range of domestic architecture, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival and bungalow houses. It embodies Wilson's rapid expansion during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and retains its integrity despite some new construction and demolition.
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 88002084, listed October 27, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Pine, Broad, Hines and Cone, Wilson |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County |
| Listed | October 27, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88002084 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | S. B. Moore (architect of several houses); Berewell Riddick of Suffolk, Virginia (architect of the Edward K. Wright House); Jones Brothers (contractors) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Bungalow |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Many original single-family houses in the east end now serve as offices or apartments. Of 345 buildings, 293 are contributing and 52 are noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 122 |
| Coordinates | 35.73232, -77.91961 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 88002084.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708540
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.