Carter, Maybelle and Ezra, House
Why it's listed
Near Maces Spring in Scott County, Virginia, this farmhouse was home to Maybelle and Ezra Carter from soon after their marriage in March 1926. It began as a five-room dwelling and was enlarged in 1936 by local carpenter Garn Larkey, who removed interior partitions, added a rear row of rooms, built a second floor lit by shed dormers, and wrapped the front and sides with a porch of turned columns. A bathroom and basement were also added. Outbuildings include a smokehouse, a small barn and a two-level cinderblock garage and workshop, the last two built by Ezra. The house matters chiefly because Maybelle was an original member of the Carter Family and later performed with her daughters as Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. Ezra was A. P. Carter's brother, and Maybelle was cousin to Sara Carter. The gable-end form also represents small rural houses of the early twentieth century, and its 1930s changes hint at the bungalow style.
Significance in brief: The house is significant mainly for its association with Maybelle Carter, an original member of the Carter Family musical group, who lived here with her husband Ezra and raised three daughters. It also illustrates a representative small rural Virginia house form of the early twentieth century, with 1930s renovations suggesting the bungalow style.
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 85001412, listed June 12, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Rt. 614, Maces Spring |
|---|---|
| County | Scott County |
| Listed | June 12, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001412 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Garn Larkey, 1936 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Performing Arts |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as very good; present use is a dwelling. Altered, with the only change since 1936 being a spindle frieze added to the porch in 1981. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.67407, -82.40252 (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 85001412.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15252264
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.