Edmondson-Woodward House
Why it's listed
Located between Toisnot Swamp and Contentnea Creek, about four miles north of Stantonsburg, this two-story plantation house was built around 1830 for Wright Edmondson, who owned about 1,400 acres here and a cotton gin. An 1835 newspaper advertisement describing the dwelling as new helps date its construction. The original block has a hall-and-parlor plan, stuccoed shoulder chimneys, a three-bay facade and distinctive triple-row gaugework on the rakeboards. Interior Federal mantels and molded surrounds survive, while a mid-nineteenth-century wing shows Greek Revival detailing. Edmondson became one of the wealthiest planters in North Carolina, and after his death the property passed through his heirs to Warren Woodard in 1896, then to later Woodard family members, who probably rented it to tenants until renovations in the early 1960s. The house is regarded as among the finest surviving Federal-style antebellum plantation houses in Wilson County, notable for retaining its original appearance.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the finest Federal-style antebellum plantation houses remaining in Wilson County, notable for how well its original appearance has been preserved. It is tied to Wright Edmondson, a prominent antebellum planter, and to the Woodard family, who were planters active in local religious and educational work.
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 86000767, listed February 13, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NC 58 and SR 1542, Stantonsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County |
| Listed | February 13, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000767 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Wright Edmondson (builder/owner); form lists builder/architect as N/A |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition and altered, in private residential use; the form marks it occupied and also unoccupied, and states it was used as a weekend retreat by 1960. |
| Acreage | 321 |
| Coordinates | 35.64460, -77.83048 (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 86000767.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708885
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.