Leasburg Architecture

Stanfield-Connally-Kimbro House (Click Photograph for Larger Image)

Once the county seat of Caswell County and possessed of a thriving economy, Leasburg produced numerous examples of nineteenth century architecture. The Boom Era in Caswell County resulted in the construction of new houses and the remodelling and enlargement of many of the older structures. Set forth in this section are examples of this architecture, with descriptions from An Inventory of Historic Architecture--Caswell County, North Carolina by Ruth Little-Stokes (1979).

Houses

• James Malone House (1861)

  Unusual variation on the Boom Era type: Italianate two-story frame house with Greek Revival form, enlivened by bracketed cornice, arched chimney stack panels, curvilinear sawnwork entrance lintel and window muntins. Said to have been built by the same architect-builder responsible for the nearby whimsical Garland-Buford House. Built for James Malone in 1861.

• Lea-Newman House (1838)

  Pretentious, well-preserved story and a half frame house of transitional Federal-Greek Revival design, five bays wide, with four exterior end brick chimneys, flat-paneled entrance, original pedimented entrance porch with chamfered posts. One chimney has inscription believed to be "Luiz Pulliam 1838." Contemporary frame kitchen, dairy, and smokehouse remain. Family cemetery on east side.

• S. P. Newman House

  Early 19th-century house with some 9/9, 9/6 sash with molded surrounds, overbuilt in late Victorian period, with front two-story wing with bay window, gable bargeboard, and wrap-around bracketed porch addition. Early house said to have been owned by Baynes family.

• Nicholas Thompson House (Early 19th Century)

  Handsome Boom Era type Greek Revival two-story frame house with exterior end brick chimneys, double door entrance, one-story hip roofed Doric entrance porch. The original Federal section said to be the birthplace of Jacob Thompson, who served as a Confederate spy in Canada, United States congressman from Mississippi, and Secretary of the Interior 1857-1861. Well-preserved collection of outbuildings, including a plantation office, smokehouse, and tanner's shop.

• Walter E. Connally House (Early 19th Century)

  Early 19th-century Federal frame house overbuilt during Greek Revival era (c. 1860) as Boom Era type residence. One and one-half story rear wing with molded cornice and some 9/9 sash in main block are only indications of Federal structure. Present structure has exterior end stone and brick chimneys, stone foundation, two-story front porch with curvilinear sawnwork posts and upper balustrade, matching sawnwork pattern in entrance sidelights.

• Stanfield-H.T. Connally-Kimbro House (Early 19th Century)

  Early 19th century, with modifications c. 1860 and late 19th century. Large two-story frame house with rear Federal-style wing. Greek Revival style hipped main block with interior chimneys, trabeated double-door entrances, side pedimented Doric entrance porches, and a front replacement Queen Anne style porch with a balcony and a cross-gable with an ornate bargeboard.

• Walter Thomas House (c. 1860)

  Boom Era type Greek Revival house. Two-story frame, with hip roof, exterior end brick chimneys, trabeated entrance, with two-story pedimented Doric entrance porch. Contemporary, extremely narrow gabled frame smokehouse.

• Lea-Stephens (Gabriel Lea) House (c. 1860)

  Only example of a side-hall house in Caswell County. Two-story frame Greek Revival house with two-story porch engaged beneath hip roof of main block. Interior brick chimneys with arched panel stacks. Side bay trabeated (has horizontal beams or lintels rather than arches) entrance and transomed floor-length window in other facade bay. Porch has elegant slender latticework posts and upper balustrade.

• Jacob Thompson House (1814)

  One and one-half story frame federal house of eccentric design, considerably altered. Originally two-story. Extremely ornate trim includes pierced dentil cornice, window caps with geometric gougework and fluted corner blocks. Much of the interior trim has been sold, including the mantel with 13 stars which once was said to have been bought by the Winterthur Museum of American Decorative Arts. However, it now appears that the mantel went to a private home in Martinsville, Virginia.

• Solomon Lea House

  Early 19th century, one-story frame federal cottage, much-altered in the Greek Revival period by the addition of a trabeated entrance with corner block treatment and a pedimented Doric entrance porch. An early owner, Solomon Lea, was the founder and master of Somerville Institute and in 1846-1847 was the first president of Greensboro College. See Historic Marker No. G-61.

• Hambrick House

  Built around 1820, the Hambrick House is a federal-style one-and-one-half-story frame structure with replacement chimneys, unusual Flemish bond brick foundation, and an entrance with delicate reeded pilasters and transom surround. The interior has flat-paneled wainscot and a sunburst mantel. There have been some Greek Revival and later Victorian alterations.

Houses Not Pictured

• Hambrick-Dixon House (19th Century)
• Leasburg Methodist Parsonage (c. 1870)
• Newman-Briggs House (Early 19th Century)
• Stanfield House (c. 1830)
• Lex Sally House (19th Century)
• Benjamin Franklin Stanfield House (c. 1860)

Non-Residential Structures

• Drummers' House (c. 1860)

  Small gabled frame building with paneled door, exterior end brick chimney. Built as quarters for Pulliam House, later moved to present roadside site for use as post office, also served as quarters for drummers passing through.

• Solomon Lea School Water Tower


• Leasburg United Methodist Church

References

• An Inventory of Historic Architecture--Caswell County, North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes (1979)
• When the Past Refused to Die--A History of Caswell County, North Carolina 1777-1977, William S. Powell (1977)