Mar 08, 1997
National Register of Historic Places - Leslie-Alford-Mims House
Statement of Significance: The Leslie-Alford-Mims House is an imposing Wake County landmark that evolved over a period of sixty years beginning circa 1840 in the town of Holly Springs, North Carolina. The Greek Revival style is evident in the original block with its hallmark two-story central Doric portico and its refined architectural appointments including original Asher Benjamin-inspired details. The 1840 residence was built by prominent Holly Springs businessman and tailor, Mr. Archibald Leslie. In 1876, Leslie sold the house to Mr. George Benton Alford; and under Alford's tenure the large Colonial Revival additions of 1876 and 1900 were completed. The Leslie-Alford-Mims House is associated with the productive lives of Archibald Leslie and George Benton Alford, who made substantial contributions to commerce and community development in southern Wake County during much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The interior and exterior integrity of the house remains remarkably intact and accurately reflects the importance of the builders in the Holly Spring community. In addition to the house, the thirteen-acre nominated property that is the residual portion of an original 180-acre tract, contains a 1923 Confederate memorial, the natural springs for which Holly Springs was named, and possible ante-bellum and post-bellum archeological remains. Fully developed historical contexts for Wake County are found in the Multiple Property Documentation Form: "Historic and Architectural Resources of Wake County, North Carolina" (Circa 1770-1941) written by Kelly Lally, Preservation Planner for the Wake County Planning Department, and Todd Johnson, Consultant. The Leslie-Alford-Mims House was placed on the North Carolina National Register Study List in 1991 following Ms. Lally's comprehensive survey of the county. Archibald Leslie's commercial successes relate to Context 1: "British and Africans Shape an Agrarian Society (Colonial Period to 1860)." George Benton Alford purchased the property in 1876. His commercial and community accomplishments fall within Context 2: "Civil War, Reconstruction, and a Shift to Commercial Agriculture (1861-1885);" and Context 3: "Populism to Progressivism (1885-1918)." The applicable property types include Property Type 3: Houses: A. "Houses Built from the Colonial Period to the Civil War Era (circa 1770-1865)" and B. "Houses Built Between the Civil War and World War I (1865-1918)."
National Register of Historic Places - Leslie-Alford-Mims House
Statement of Significance: The Leslie-Alford-Mims House is an imposing Wake County landmark that evolved over a period of sixty years beginning circa 1840 in the town of Holly Springs, North Carolina. The Greek Revival style is evident in the original block with its hallmark two-story central Doric portico and its refined architectural appointments including original Asher Benjamin-inspired details. The 1840 residence was built by prominent Holly Springs businessman and tailor, Mr. Archibald Leslie. In 1876, Leslie sold the house to Mr. George Benton Alford; and under Alford's tenure the large Colonial Revival additions of 1876 and 1900 were completed. The Leslie-Alford-Mims House is associated with the productive lives of Archibald Leslie and George Benton Alford, who made substantial contributions to commerce and community development in southern Wake County during much of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The interior and exterior integrity of the house remains remarkably intact and accurately reflects the importance of the builders in the Holly Spring community. In addition to the house, the thirteen-acre nominated property that is the residual portion of an original 180-acre tract, contains a 1923 Confederate memorial, the natural springs for which Holly Springs was named, and possible ante-bellum and post-bellum archeological remains. Fully developed historical contexts for Wake County are found in the Multiple Property Documentation Form: "Historic and Architectural Resources of Wake County, North Carolina" (Circa 1770-1941) written by Kelly Lally, Preservation Planner for the Wake County Planning Department, and Todd Johnson, Consultant. The Leslie-Alford-Mims House was placed on the North Carolina National Register Study List in 1991 following Ms. Lally's comprehensive survey of the county. Archibald Leslie's commercial successes relate to Context 1: "British and Africans Shape an Agrarian Society (Colonial Period to 1860)." George Benton Alford purchased the property in 1876. His commercial and community accomplishments fall within Context 2: "Civil War, Reconstruction, and a Shift to Commercial Agriculture (1861-1885);" and Context 3: "Populism to Progressivism (1885-1918)." The applicable property types include Property Type 3: Houses: A. "Houses Built from the Colonial Period to the Civil War Era (circa 1770-1865)" and B. "Houses Built Between the Civil War and World War I (1865-1918)."
Mar 08, 1997
Posted Date
Sep 01, 2023
Historical Record Date
Mar 08, 1997
Source Name
National Register of Historic Places
