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Historical Summaries of Significant Mecklenburg County Rural Resources
Rosedale, North Tryon Street. A tax collector named Archibald Frew is believed to have built this house in 1800. The Federal style house is reminiscent of the elegant plantation homes constructed in tidewater Virginia. The plantation was owned by the Davidson family until 1987. It currently operates as a house museum. The property is a good example of a rural resource that has been engulfed by urban development. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a locally designated historic landmark.
William Ross House (MK 1231), Dickie Ross Road. The double front gable of this two story house indicates a construction date during the late nineteenth or very early twentieth century. The front porch is likely a replacement since it displays Craftsman style columns. A significant collection of outbuildings exists near the house. Large fields separate the house from the road and are still being cultivated. This property is an excellent example of a late nineteenth century or early twentieth century farmstead.
Rural Hill (MK 1479), Neck Road. Several columns are all that remains of the 1788 plantation house. After the mansion was destroyed by fire in 1886, the family converted the detached kitchen into a permanent residence that exists today. A smoke house, well house, and ash house survive behind the kitchen / residence. Some intact landscaping, panoramic views of fields, a family cemetery, and archaeological evidence of slave quarters make this plantation one of the best preserved examples in Mecklenburg County. The property is a locally designated historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Saint Mark's Episcopal Church and Rectory (MK 199 and MK 1518), Mt. Holly - Huntersville Road. This 1886 -1887 Victorian Gothic church is the oldest Episcopal church in rural Mecklenburg County. Built of bricks even after the Charleston earthquake of 1886 destroyed the brick kiln, this church was at the intersection of two lanes near the Whitley Mill and a country store. The rectory is a wood frame building in the L-plan form. The vernacular Victorian sawnwork and trim are indicative of its 1880s construction date. When originally constructed the road ran between the church and rectory rather than at the bottom of the hill as it presently does. The church building, but not the rectory, is a locally designated historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Dr. Thomas T. Sandifer House (MK 208), Moore's Chapel Road. The hipped roof I-house form has a rear shed addition and a 1940s porch. It was the seat of a 246 acres farm on the Catawba River. The house was built in the 1850s by Dr. Sandifer. It is one of a few remaining antebellum farmhouses in Mecklenburg County. Like many antebellum plantations, this house faced the Catawba River, a reminder of the river's importance in the lives of early Mecklenburgers. The property is also significant as the residence of an early Mecklenburg physician. The property is a locally designated historic landmark.
Shoaf House (U - 03), Steele Creek Road. Located just south of the Steele Creek Presbyterian Manse, this small double gable cottage dates from the late nineteenth century. The house was not included in the 1988 survey. Its history is being researched. The property is an important part of the integrity of the Steele Creek area.
Mayes House (U - 10), Davidson - Concord Road. This triple-A type I-house has a good collection of outbuildings and is a significant part of rural Davidson - Concord Road. The two story I-house was actually built by William Sloan Mayes and his wife Kate Alexander Mayes. Although the house was not included in the 1988 survey, it is an important property. Its history is currently being researched.
Sidney House (U - 16), Ramah Church Road. This gable and ell cottage was not included in the 1988 Gatza Survey, but its history is currently being researched. It is a good example of a modest early twentieth century farm including several outbuildings.
Steele Creek Presbyterian Church and Cemetery (MK 1377), Steele Creek Road. The 1889 Gothic Revival sanctuary and adjacent cemetery preserve a rural Mecklenburg County community institution better than any other brick church still extant. Although several additions have been made to the church it retains much of its original character and is an important center of the Steele Creek community. This property is a locally designated historic landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Steele Creek Presbyterian Manse (MK 1378), Steele Creek Road. Constructed by community citizens in 1910, this minister's dwelling is an important part of Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. The 17 acre lot was avaiable for the minister's own farm, complete with a tenant house for laborers.The house is two stories tall with a high hip roof. Although the porch and other details have been altered, the house is a good example of a house in the Rectilinear or Folk Praire style. It is critical to the understanding of this rural church and community.
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