A Pre-Civil War Log Home ~ Secluded Country Lot ~ $150,000

Rowan County, North Carolina has a wealth of historic homes and architecture dating from the 1700s, 1800', and early 1900s. But even so, the number of remaining pre-Civil War dwellings is dwindling. Yet, this marvelously secluded home in the Rockwell area is just that! The circa 1855 Joseph Henry Mingus House, situated deeply off-road at 2220 Gold Knob Road, down a long gravel drive, is a late antebellum style log farmhouse, built just before the Civil War.

Yes ~ this is an 1850's log home!  This sophisticated early 19th century building method renders these homes a significant part of the historic architectural fabric of Rowan County and a foremost contribution to the architectural history of the State. The log construction was very seldom if ever left uncovered on the exterior but was covered with weatherboards.  These carefully finished, permanent log dwellings are very different from the lost log cabins ~ often crude, temporary construction used by early settlers or for mountain cabins. The squared-log construction used on the log homes (logs hewn on four sides for better fit) is sheathed with weatherboard ~ a common and more sophisticated method of construction (Hood, Davyd F, 1983). You'll see when you walk through the front entrance to 2220 Gold Knob Road that the door jamb itself is perhaps at least a foot deep!


The interior of this nearly 2200 square-foot c.1855 living piece of history follows the Quaker style of architecture (a large living space and two smaller chambers) with a very open floor plan with lots of light shining into the kitchen and dining areas.

The wide mantel in the large 25' x 18' living room may be the original piece. This home, though predating the Civil War in construction and retaining the character of such a home, has many modern upfits. The master bedroom is on the main level and has a walk-in closet. Each of the 3 large bedrooms has its own full bathroom!


The kitchen is now designed with a long breakfast bar facing the work area that is nicely outfitted with honey-toned cabinetry. A good-sized unattached garage will hold two cars and more.

The Joseph Mingus House, featured in Davyd Foard Hood's wonderful book, The Architecture of Rowan County, is one of a group of substantial weatherboarded log houses built late in the antebellum period whose distinct symmetry differentiated them from the earlier nineteenth-century log houses. The home is capped with a charming green metal roof. Many folks who are interested in making their house more energy efficient while adding a beautiful and striking major design element, and never want to replace their roof again, consider a metal roof. It will likely last a lifetime and it is practically maintenance-free. The practical advantages of a metal roof are that it makes your home safer in harsh weather and can significantly cut down on your energy bills. Metal roofs are durable (Monticello — Thomas Jefferson's Virginia home — still wears its original "tin" roof . . . and it's in fine shape to this day). Aesthetically, a metal roof is versatile in design to complement many architectural styles, from a century old farmhouse to a contemporary home.

According to family tradition, the Joseph Henry Mingus House, was originally built on Campbell Road and was moved to 2220 Gold Knob Road. The home was built about 1855 as the plantation seat on this farm that was originally some 370 acres. Over the years, Mingus considerably increased the size of this plantation. In his will, he left his eldest son two tracts of land; his eldest daughter 100 acres off the southeast end of what he called 'the Wood place', his second son received the remaining 170 acres of the Wood place, and his second daughter and youngest son, were left equal parts of the homeplace and buildings. Of those buildings, the house and small log crib remain. Joseph Mingus Jr. owned the farm until his death in 1941, after which it was sold by his daughter (Hood, Davyd F, 1983).

Photograph from The Architecture of Rowan County, Davyd Foard Hood

The house consists of a rectangular two story log block with a one story frame ell at the rear elevation, both covered with weatherboards and gabled roofs. The one-story hopped roof porch supported by square chamfered posts, shelters the central entrance and its flanking bays on the homes south or front entrance. At some point the porch was widened to span the entire front of the home. A massive brick chimney stands at the center of the house's west elevation (Hood, Davyd F, 1983).

This home is not visible from the road. It is nestled in a clearing down a long gravel drive, just minutes from the town of Rockwell, NC. This is a very private setting sitting on almost an acre of land ~ semi-surrounded by woods. The yearly taxes for 2220 Gold Knob Road are only $833.

This 1855 home at 2220 Gold Knob Road is for sale at just $150,000 ~  a country estate pre-dating the Civil War in a secluded setting, with all the modern amenities. Call Greg Rapp at Wallace Realty, 704.213.6846, to see this piece of history for yourself. A home this special will not languish on the market. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for to own a rare piece of pre-Civil War architecture! Contact Greg ~ 704.213.6846 ~ today!

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