Harvey School neighborhood proposed for historic designation

An area bordered roughly by Herritage Street and West Road, Edwards Street and Harding Avenue, is proposed as Kinston’s next historic district.

The neighborhood surrounds the former site of Lemuel Harvey Elementary School, now Harvey Gardens, and includes Britthaven nursing home (the former Lenoir Memorial Hospital) and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church.

“This came from the people in the neighborhood,” said Jane Gaston, chairman of the city’s Historic District Commission. “It started because they want to preserve the neighborhood. From what I’m hearing they’re very enthused about it.”

The neighborhood contains about 200 houses and was developed about 50 years ago, Kinston Planning and Inspections Director Tommy Lee said. Lee is the city adviser to the historic commission.

Districts on the National Register often qualify for certain tax benefits and protections. Another advantage can be the designation’s lure for some property buyers.

“That depends on the reputation of the historical district in a particular town,” Realtor Kathy Riggs said. “The interest we have in historical properties usually comes from buyers out of town shopping on the Internet. The advantage comes in as to whether or not the particular property is suitable for approval for grants or refurbishing.”

“Being on the National Registry is voluntary,” Lee said. “There are advantages if you want to take advantage of it. And you have the status of living in a historic neighborhood.”

Gaston lives in Mitchelltown where residents have formed a neighborhood group. Members are preparing a brochure to explain to real estate agents the advantages of owning of historic properties.

The Harvey School National Register Historic District, as it is being called, would be the city’s fourth such residential district. Mitchelltown, Hill-Grainger and Trianon also are designated as historic. Lee said two commercial districts downtown were combined into a single historic district: the intersection of Queen and Caswell streets and Queen and Gordon streets – about two blocks.

The Historic District Commission sent a mailing to residents in the newly proposed district about an informational meeting at 7 p.m. Monday in the fellowship hall at First Presbyterian Church, 2102 N. Herritage St.

Residents will hear a presentation on historic districts and can ask questions afterward. A nursery will be provided for children but parents must make a reservation if they plan to use the nursery. Call 939-3271 to reserve a space or for more information.

NORTH CAROLINA LISTINGS IN THE
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
BY COUNTY
As of February 1, 2006
Officially historic

The following sites and buildings in Lenoir County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

American Tobacco Co. Prizery (Kinston) 4/28/2005
(former) Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad Freight Depot (Kinston) 11/8/1989
(former) Baptist Parsonage (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Robert L. Blalock House (Kinston) 11/8/1989
C.S.S. Neuse (Kinston vicinity) 6/11/2001
B.W. Canady House (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Cedar Dell (Kennedy Memorial Home) (Falling Creek 8/26/1971
Needham Herring House (LaGrange vicinity) 10/25/1973
Hill-Grainger Historic District (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Hotel Kinston (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Jesse Jackson House (Kinston vicinity) 6/24/1971
Kinston Apartments (Kinston) 6/22/2004
(former) Kinston Fire Station/City Hall (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Kinston Baptist/White Rock Presbyterian Church (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Kinston Commercial Historic District (Kinston) 6/3/1994
LaGrange Historic District (La Grange) 5/11/2000
LaGrange Presbyterian Church (LaGrange) 8/14/1986
Lenoir County Courthouse (Kinston) 5/10/1979
Mitchelltown Historic District (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Peebles House ("Harmony Hall") (Kinston) 8/26/1971
Peoples Bank Building (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Sumrell and McCoy Building (Kinston) 12/21/1989
Trianon Historic District (Kinston) 11/8/1989
Tull-Worth-Holland Farm (Kinston vicinity) 9/22/1992
Dempsey Wood House (Falling Creek 8/26/1971