List of the oldest buildings in North Carolina facts for kids

North Carolina is a state in the United States of America. It has many old buildings that are still standing today. This article lists some of the oldest buildings in North Carolina, including houses, churches, and other important structures.

Historians and scientists use different methods to figure out how old these buildings are. They might use dendrochronology, which is a way to date wood by looking at its tree rings. They also study how buildings were designed and built, and look at old records.

To be included on this list, a building usually had to be built before 1776. Or, it had to be the oldest building in a certain county or city, or the oldest of its kind, like a church or government building.

Historic Homes in North Carolina

Lane House

The Lane House in Edenton.

• Location: Edenton
• Built: 1718–1719
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in North Carolina. Its age was confirmed by studying its wood. It has one and a half stories and is part of a historic district.

Sloop Point

Sloop Point Plantation.

• Location: Pender County
• Built: 1726
• Use: House
• Notes: This house looks a bit like buildings found in the Caribbean islands.

Newbold-White House

The Newbold-White House.

• Location: Hertford
• Built: 1730
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest brick house in North Carolina. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Myers-White House

The Myers-White House.

• Location: Hertford
• Built: 1730
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971.

Orton Plantation Main House

The main house at Orton Plantation.

• Location: Winnabow
• Built: 1735
• Use: House

Mitchell-Anderson House

• Location: Wilmington
• Built: Around 1740
• Use: House
• Notes: This is one of the oldest homes in Wilmington.

Woodleys Manor

Woodleys Manor before restoration.

• Location: Pasquotank County
• Built: Around 1740
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in Pasquotank County. It also shows an early design style for homes in North Carolina.

Palmer-Marsh House

The Palmer-Marsh House.

• Location: Bath
• Built: 1744
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is a National Historic Landmark, meaning it's very important to the history of the country.

Milford

Milford in Camden County.

• Location: Camden County
• Built: 1746
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest two-story brick house in North Carolina. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

Duke-Lawrence House

• Location: Northampton County, North Carolina
• Built: 1747 (original part)
• Use: House
• Notes: This is one of North Carolina's oldest colonial homes. The original wooden part was built around 1747, and a brick section was added later. It's on the National Register of Historic Places.

Old Brick House

The Old Brick House.

• Location: Pasquotank County
• Built: Around 1750
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hammock House

• Location: Beaufort
• Built: Around 1700–1750
• Use: House
• Notes: People say this is the oldest house in Beaufort. Some stories even connect it to the famous pirate Blackbeard!

Dr. Robertson House

• Location: Alamance County
• Built: Around 1750
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is part of the Alamance County Architectural Inventory.

Hampton Family House

The Hampton Family House.

• Location: Hamptonville, North Carolina
• Built: Around 1757
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in Yadkin County.

Cupola House

The Cupola House in Edenton.

• Location: Edenton
• Built: 1758
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Owens House

The Owens House in Halifax.

• Location: Halifax
• Built: 1760
• Use: House
• Notes: This house was built for a merchant and is the oldest building at the Historic Halifax State Historic Site.

Joel Lane House

The Joel Lane House.

• Location: Raleigh
• Built: Around 1760–1770
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in Raleigh, the capital city of North Carolina.

DuBoise-Boatwright House

• Location: Wilmington
• Built: 1765
• Use: House
• Notes: This is another one of Wilmington's very old houses.

Michael Braun House

The Michael Braun House, also known as Old Stone House.

• Location: Granite Quarry
• Built: 1766
• Use: House
• Notes: Also called the Old Stone House, this is the oldest building in Rowan County.

Burgwin-Wright House

The Burgwin-Wright House.

• Location: Wilmington
• Built: 1770
• Use: House
• Notes: This is one of the oldest houses in Wilmington.

Patrick Gordon House

The Patrick Gordon House.

• Location: New Bern
• Built: 1771
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in New Bern that has mostly kept its original look. It's on the National Register.

House in the Horseshoe

The House in the Horseshoe.

• Location: Carthage
• Built: 1772
• Use: House
• Notes: This house was the site of a historic battle during the American Revolution between those who supported the king (Loyalists) and those who wanted independence (Patriots).

Nash-Hooper House

The Nash-Hooper House.

• Location: Hillsborough
• Built: 1772
• Use: House
• Notes: This house is a National Historic Landmark. It was home to someone who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Hezekiah Alexander House

• Location: Charlotte
• Built: 1774
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest building in Charlotte and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hugh Torrance House and Store

• Location: Huntersville
• Built: Around 1779
• Use: Store and House
• Notes: This is the oldest store still standing in North Carolina and one of the oldest buildings in Mecklenburg County.

Robert Cleveland Log House

• Location: Wilkesboro
• Built: 1780
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest house in Wilkes County.

Alexander Long plantation house

• Location: North of Spencer, North Carolina
• Built: 1783
• Use: House
• Notes: This is the oldest home in Rowan County that people still live in.

Single Brothers' House

The Single Brothers' House in Old Salem.

• Location: Winston-Salem
• Built: 1769
• Use: House
• Notes: This house was part of a Moravian settlement, a community built by a religious group.

Oldest Churches and Other Buildings

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

St. Thomas Church in Bath.

• Location: Bath
• Built: 1734
• Use: Religious building (Church)
• Notes: This is the oldest church building still standing in North Carolina.

St. Paul's Church, Edenton

St. Paul's Church in Edenton.

• Location: Edenton
• Built: 1736
• Use: Church
• Notes: This church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chowan County Courthouse

The Chowan County Courthouse.

• Location: Edenton
• Built: 1767
• Use: Courthouse
• Notes: This is the oldest courthouse in North Carolina and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Philip's Church Ruins

The ruins of St. Philip's Church.

• Location: Brunswick Town
• Built: 1768
• Use: Church
• Notes: These are the ruins of an old church.

Salem Tavern

The Salem Tavern.

• Location: Winston-Salem
• Built: 1784
• Use: Tavern (an inn or public house)
• Notes: George Washington, the first president of the United States, stayed here for two nights in 1791!

Cool Spring Place

Cool Spring Place.

• Location: Fayetteville
• Built: 1788
• Use: Tavern
• Notes: This is the oldest building in Fayetteville.

St. Philips Moravian Church

St. Philips Moravian Church.

• Location: Winston-Salem
• Built: 1861
• Use: Church
• Notes: This is the oldest African American church building in North Carolina.

Temple of Israel

The Temple of Israel.

• Location: Wilmington
• Built: 1876
• Use: Synagogue (Jewish house of worship)
• Notes: This is the oldest Jewish synagogue in North Carolina.

See also

• List of the oldest buildings in the United States
• List of plantations in North Carolina
• National Register of Historic Places listings in North Carolina