Ward-Applewhite-Thompson House
Why it's listed
Just south of Stantonsburg, this large two-story, three-bay frame house was built around 1859 in the Greek Revival style favored by prosperous planters. It has a central-hall plan, a low hipped roof, six-over-six windows, plain exterior detailing and a monumental trabeated door. A wrap-around Colonial Revival porch with Doric columns was probably added around 1900 by B. J. Thompson. David G. W. Ward, a merchant and farmer, bought the land in 1857, and later it passed to planter W. H. Applewhite and then to his daughter and son-in-law, the Thompsons. The farm keeps an unusually full set of outbuildings, including a brick acetylene plant, a milk house, sheds, packhouses, a stable and five tobacco barns, one of them built of logs. The site has changed little over time apart from the railroad built through it in 1907. It was listed for its agricultural associations, its links to Ward and Applewhite, and its intact architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the best preserved examples of a 1850s Greek Revival plantation house in Wilson County, with an unusually complete set of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth-century farm buildings. It is also tied to the county's agricultural economy and to David G. W. Ward and planter W. H. Applewhite.
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 86000695, listed February 13, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S side of SR 1539, Stantonsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Wilson County |
| Listed | February 13, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000695 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and used as a private residence and agriculture; the form notes that in recent years the house has been occupied by tenants. |
| Acreage | 274 |
| Coordinates | 35.59513, -77.79252 (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 86000695.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23073997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.