The Stately Historic John Knox House - Circa 1871 - For Sale

From the four corners of W. Bank Street and S. Jackson Street, the Historic West Square neighborhood emanates.  In 1857, E.J. Hale, senior editor of the Fayetteville Observer described the  'great western ward' of Salisbury as "the part of town where the best dwellings are located, a fashionable region containing beautiful lots, and all good houses."  Today, the same is true.  And at the very heart of the West Square is the stately circa 1871 John Knox House, offered for sale today by Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate LLC.

Welcome to the 303 W. Bank Street and the Historic John Knox House at the corner of Bank and Jackson Streets in Salisbury, North Carolina ~ a lovingly restored Italianate Victorian with a focus on quality throughout and superior attention to detail. The owners spared no expense in returning this exquisitely detailed home to its original elegance, and the result is a museum-quality residence worthy of hosting grand occasions or displaying the most distinguished art collection. The recognizably different architectural style was introduced into Salisbury domestic building during the first decade of the post Civil-War Reconstruction Era.

The John Knox House exterior is one of the more striking in the neighborhood along prestigious West Bank Row. Rich with Italianate details, this 2-story frame home with slate L-shaped gable roof home offers beautifully carved brackets underlying the eaves and porch roof.  The rounded arched windows on the main facade as well as on the stately 1-story bay that boasts more round-arched windows, a panelled apron, and fine brackets.  Functional shutters at wavy glass windows harken back to an earlier era. Throughout the home, exceptional millwork, rounded window sashes and moldings to name a few, is of extremely high quality and in amazing condition for a home of this age.

Step inside, and you will not believe that the interior had been divided into apartments in the 1970s, but today, this iconic, sophisticated home is truly a piece of art, and again ~ it's the details that set this home apart from its peers, including the gorgeous original millwork and mantels. 12-foot ceilings downstairs and 10-foot ceilings upstairs boast exquisite deep crown moldings, and you'll find built-in cabinets, heart-of-pine wood floors, and the original wood windows. All 5 fireplaces are exceptionally oversized, surrounded by custom mantels (one in the informal parlor is believed to be original to the home). Each is handsomely outfitted with gas-coal fireplace inserts and baskets.

A long center hall with gleaming wood floors separates the truly spacious front parlor with its beautiful bay sitting area and fireplace, from a less formal parlor to the left.  The rounded windows in these rooms sport high-end custom window treatments. The formal living room parlor leads to a gracious equally formal dining room with another of the home's original fireplaces. You'll note luxury custom window treatments throughout the home.

Kitchen is a chef's dream, with Sub-Zero® refrigerator and a large center work island equipped with Thermador® luxury gas cooktop with downdraft vent, all wrapped in custom millwork and an expanse of granite counters. This architect-designed space flows freely from food preparation areas to a spacious breakfast nook, on to a cozy sitting room, and on again to a sweet office nook with built-in shelving. The wonderfully spacious breakfast nook/sunroom is banked by an array of windows that overlook the pretty brick patio, gardens, and brick walks.  You'll note the custom cabinetry, that creates a smooth line ~ hiding trash receptacles and even the refrigerator. Across the hall from the kitchen is another room that served the owners as a more formal office.

Upstairs, a large upper hall highlights more of those beautiful wood floors ~ and is large enough to be a room in its own right. Off the hallway you'll find the home's three bedrooms and the upper bath.  The Primary Suite and another bedroom across the hall features two more of the home's fireplaces.

There is no shortage of storage space at 303 W. Bank Street. Before entering the downstairs full bath, one of three, you walk through a small hall with laundry area and closet space. There is an under-staircase storage nook. The upstairs Primary Bedroom Suite features built-in shelving, sumptuous custom carpeting, a HUGE carpeted dressing room leading to the master bath with center storage island and banks of shelves and hanging space, all walled with cleverly arranged cupboards. The second upstairs bath has additional under-eave storage.
 

And let's talk about baths: All three full baths in the John Knox House offer heated floors! Each bathroom is beautifully tiled, with lovely glass showers. The master bath offers a large multi-jet Jacuzzi-style bathtub. A charming 1871 detail is the push out window in the upper bath that overlooks the slate roofs.

Outside the rear entrance, a stately outbuilding acts as the gateway from a spacious rear parking area to the rear entrance of the home. This slate-roofed structure encompasses what is purported to have been servants quarters (an extremely modest one-room dwelling with a tiny fireplace), an original well, and another small one-room unit. The two single room structures feature original beadboard walls and  ceilings. A brick garden shed is attached to the house.

A secluded herringbone brick patio is beautifully surrounded by a holly and camellia hedge providing complete privacy for this corner lot. A clematis bedecked arched arbor leads to the sweeping front English Gardens, resplendent with aucuba, pieris japonica, rhododendron, azalea, junipers, sedum, and ferns. A magnificent original boxwood hedge, over 100-years-old, lines the pebbled front walk from gate to the front porch, a statement landscape feature for this era. Spring bulbs line the well house.

This majestic circa 1871 West Bank Street residence is truly in the "Heart" of Salisbury’s first Historic District. The home has been featured multiple times in Historic Salisbury Foundation’s annual 'October Tour' of Historic Homes. The beautifully landscaped front yard, and a portion of the side yard, is enclosed with a custom-made picket fence supported by granite pillars. The fence runs along the old English Garden down the entire southeast side of the house. 

The home occupies the southwest corner, across the street at the northwest corner is the circa 1820 Dr. Josephus Hall House, now a museum property of the Historic Salisbury Foundation.  To the southeast is the impressive circa 1902 MacKenzie-Grimes House, an eclectic Queen Anne with an engaged tower with spherical dome, and at the southwest corner, the pre-Civil War Murphy House, circa 1854 Greek Revival home.  A canopy of mature trees shades the sidewalks in this beautiful historic neighborhood, and this elegant 4-corners is truly the heart of the district.

High-end mechanicals in this 3,520 square-foot home include a Rinnai tankless water heater, a Generac natural gas-powered generator, and dual level gas HVAC units. The home offers newer electrical system, plumbing, HVAC, and newer appliances. A foundation doorway at the rear of the home leads to a small basement wrapped with vapor barrier. A large attic is accessed via a pull-down staircase in the upper hall. And when details matter:  Even the ladder ends are felt-wrapped to prevent scarring of these glimmering wood floors.  The home offers generous off-street parking to the rear, perfect for guests when entertaining. The West Square Historic District falls under City of Salisbury's Historic Preservation Commission purview, and a Certificates of Appropriateness (COA) must be approved for any exterior changes.

The John Knox House is located just one block from Salisbury's newest jewel: The Bell Tower Green ~ the city's new $13-million center-city park and greenspace.  In just 3 blocks, you find yourself in the vibrant historic downtown, with unique boutique shopping, over 20 restaurants, two microbreweries, community theatre, museums, and art galleries.  Salisbury, North Carolina is approximately equidistant between the metro-areas of Charlotte, Greensboro, and Winston-Salem, and boasts a historic Amtrak Station at the Salisbury Depot. The area is serviced by a small local airport, and Interstate-85 is within easy access to most of the city.

Realtor® Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate LLC is considered the area's premier agent for historic homes, and the historic John Knox House has a much bigger story to tell than fits the pages of this entry. This impeccable vintage home really must be seen to truly appreciate its grandeur and attention to detail.  One of the finest homes in downtown Salisbury, North Carolina, 303 W. Bank Street offers the best of many possible worlds. Beyond the walls, the home has been extensively renovated and modernized, but without losing the period character and original features. The slate roof and standing-seam metal porch  roofs of the exterior have been meticulously maintained. For those who value properties of historical significance and love classic period details, such as hardwood floors, high ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling windows ~ this is the ultimate opportunity. Make an appointment with Greg Rapp for your exclusive showing: 704.213.6846

303 W. Bank Street
Salisbury NC 28144
CMLS#3825101
$575,000

Greg Rapp 
Salisbury Real Estate LLC 
704 213 6846 Mobile 
GregRappRealtor@gmail.com 
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

Grand Vintage Circa 1925 Craftsman-Influenced Brick Home ~ A Special Find in Salisbury NC

301 MARSH STREET WEST Salisbury, NC  ~  Vintage 1925 Artisan Home ~  $350,000

You yearn for a pure aesthetic. 
Straight, uncomplicated lines. 
Hand craftsmanship. 
The color and texture of natural materials.  

Step inside the clean lines of 301 Marsh Street.

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Every once and a while, a fine house that sets itself apart from its peers arrives on the market. Solid and well-built, this beautiful home is almost 100 years old and is ready for the next 100! 301 Marsh Street is not a run-of-the-mill home of the period. You can tell by its fine appointments that it was built by artisans, offering all the simple style of the Arts and Crafts movement, created in exacting detail in a large, light-filled home. So whether you're a stickler for authenticity or just appreciate the beauty of this unfettered décor, you can achieve true craftsman style living at 301 Marsh Street, Salisbury, North Carolina.

This spectacular all brick circa 1925 home in the heart of the West Square Historic District in Salisbury NC is masterful blend of Arts & Crafts styling and Four-Square architecture, with influences of each making this specimen home a rare treasure. The Arts and Crafts movement of the 19th century spawned the Craftsman style home in the early 20th Century, resulting in comfortable and easily distinguished homes such as this one right here in Salisbury North Carolina.

The “Craftsman” in the Craftsman Style name reflects not only a love for the design of the home, but more fundamentally, a standard of quality and sustainability. Many of this Marsh Street home’s features are typical of Craftsman homes. The home retains original leaded glass, artisan woodwork, and features a marvelous collection of French doors throughout the main floor.

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Symmetry and Grand Craftsman Style 
 

How do you recognize the Craftsman style? Does it have a big front porch with wide supporting columns? Does it have several different styles of wood, brick, or stone? Is it light and bright, with plenty of windows to let in natural light? Does it have an open floor plan that oozes an open welcome? The fine vintage 1925 brick home at 301 Marsh Street offers these many features to its new owners. 

301 Marsh Street is a premium example of the Arts and Crafts sturdy, massive construction. The home is a grand showpiece, with spacious rooms, wide doorways and a shady front porch that begs to be a favorite summer space. The home can comfortably hold a number of people, with a dining room big enough to comfortably seat a large guest list. With more than 3,500 square feet, the home is a great family home, with plenty of room for work, play, studying, or togetherness. 

Formal symmetry creates a grand effect in both the exterior and interior of this two-story home. The superb layout ideally balances privacy and easy socializing. The home features elegantly simple lines, airy sunlight-filled rooms, low-maintenance construction, incredible view windows, a custom hearth, and beautiful finishes throughout. 


Through the multi-paned front door, you will enter a small vestibule, and from there through a leaded, glass door to the Great Room or living room. To the right, the windowed dining room through its French doors is set for elegant entertaining. To the left, the original fireplace with its finely crafted artisan mantelpiece and black tile firebox and hearth is the focal point of the Great Room, and another set of French doors highlight the entry to the adjoining sunroom that offers a cozy private retreat.  

Natural light streams in through the triple bank of paned windows in the Great Room and the adjacent sunroom’s multiple windows and doors. Through yet another set of French doors, a soaring center hallway with majestic staircase bisects the home. 

A very large downstairs den, painted a rich green typical of the Arts and Crafts palette, is adjacent to a small playroom at the back of the home. 

Breakfast Room or Butlers Pantry

The home features not one, but TWO butler’s pantries: One butler’s pantry that measures approximately 10’ x 10’, and in typical Craftsman style, is outfitted with a built in side bar. This large butler's area serves as a breakfast room and as a pass-through to the dining room. The second pantry is designed as a small hallway from the breakfast room to the main central and includes large built in hutch that provides plenty of storage for china, linens, and other wares. The laundry area is conveniently located off the kitchen. 

Butler's Pantry #2

The updated kitchen features tiled back-splash, stainless appliances with its Viking 4-burner gas range, oodles of cabinet space, and is complemented by a pass~through to the dining room. This very pleasant built-in pass~through window to the dining room allows the family chef to enjoy the view through the window alcove to the breakfast room, never cut off from guests.

A favorite spot will be the 15 x 9 foot sunroom with its ochre-tiled wallpapered walls and two pairs of French doors, one leading out to the large (over 550 square feet!) covered front porch with its brick and granite features and terracotta, quarry-tile flooring. A grand portico, although sized for a single automobile, aligns this grand covered space with granite stairs leading to the porch, easing transport of groceries from the car to the pantry. In addition to the front porch on the main floor, there is a small, screened sleeping porch at the back of the house, and a back patio for entertaining or dining al fresco. The back yard is fenced, with a giant oak tree as its central focal point. This oak tree, judged by its sheer enormity, may be older than the home! 

The master bedroom features a spacious walk-in closet, and an impressive bath with its deep tile lined tub and separate tiled shower, gorgeous wallpaper, and period fixtures. Each bedroom throughout the second floor provides a welcoming sense of home. 

Master Bedroom at 301 Marsh Street ~ circa 1925

All four upstairs bedrooms feature very large closets, unusual for a home of this era, and which probably says more about the affluence of the original owner rather than typical closet design of 1925. The large first floor den could easily be converted to a main-floor master suite by converting the small adjacent playroom to a master bath. The first floor bath is currently being remodeled in period fashion. 

Location ~ Location ~ Location
 

The Hall House Museum

There are 10 historic districts in Salisbury, North Carolina. Historic preservationists added the 30-square-block area consisting of the historic Downtown and the West Square residential district to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. Salisbury’s prestigious West Square historic district contains many beautiful vintage homes from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. 

The West Square additionally features homes such as the cherished Dr. Josephus Hall House . The former home of Dr. Josephus Hall, who served as the Chief Surgeon at the Salisbury Confederate Prison, is just a few blocks from 301 Marsh Street. The Hall House features an impressive collection of mid-Victorian furnishings and decorative

The Utzman~Chambers House Museum

accessories belonging to the Hall family. Dr. Hall's pardon, signed by President Andrew Johnson, hangs in the upstairs hallway. The West Square also proudly includes the the Utzman-Chambers House, at 116 S. Jackson St., a Federal townhouse that was built in 1819. Period rooms contain Hepplewhite and Chippendale furniture as well as furniture made by Rowan County craftsmen. 

The Wallace~Hambley Mansion

Many of the homes in Salisbury’s West Square have been featured in the annual October Tour of Historic Homes sponsored by the Historic Salisbury Foundation, where owners of these fine specimen homes open their doors to thousands of guests drawn to Salisbury’s rich history, architecture, and culture. The Foundation, or the HSF, has been a driving force in the strong preservation culture in Salisbury NC, recognized throughout North Carolina. 

The vintage 1925 home at 301 Marsh Street in its central location in the West Square district is within walking distance to downtown Salisbury, just minutes away from shopping, dining, arts, and culture. The West Square historic district, in addition to being recognized for its fine collection of vintage homes, is preferred by many for its tree-lined streets, excellent walkability, and strong neighborhood culture. Schools for the area are Koontz Elementary, Knox Middle School and the historic Salisbury High School.

Music at the Looking Glass Black Box Theatre

Salisbury boasts a world-class arts community: art museum, public sculpture show, art galleries, symphony, three local theater troupes, and a vibrant music scene that covers the gamut: bluegrass, folk, jazz, blues, and rock. Last but not least is the food. Salisbury's restaurants are fabulous and are made even better by their proximity to the West Square neighborhood. The new owners of 301 Marsh Street can make a day of it, spending the morning at the downtown shops and galleries, or at the local farmers market, and then spend the evening taking in a play or live music at the local wine shop.

Rich in Character ~ Steeped in History
 

301 Marsh Street

Rich in character and history, this charming artisan home in the City of Salisbury NC is the perfect place to fulfill your vision of life in a beautiful small town. 301 Marsh Street is the one of the largest vintage Craftsman style homes offered for sale now in Salisbury, North Carolina. The home, built in 1925, is truly a craftsman’s home, with exceptional quality and attention to detail throughout the home obvious in both its historic and updated aspects. The property consists of 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, large living and dining rooms, den, breakfast room, butler’s pantry, sunroom, and spacious front porch, all within the 3,500 SF of living space. This Marsh Street home features an amazing quantity of board feet of ash moldings and finish work, oak flooring, and handcrafted mantel piece at the living room fireplace. 

This solid brick home with full basement, expansive front porch, fenced back yard, and lawn irrigation system, is located in the prestigious West Square Historic District and is a true work of art that must be seen to be appreciated. An Arts and Craft home of this scale is a rare find due to the abundance of detail and cost of finely crafted construction. The home is tied to the earth with mature foundation plantings and its warm rich brick exterior blending it into its historic surroundings. This classic Craftsman style home located on quiet tree-lined Marsh Street in Salisbury’s West Square will not disappoint the tasteful style of any buyer. 

301 Marsh Street, Salisbury NC ~ Circa 1925 Craftsman Home ~ $425K

Contact Salisbury's premier agent for vintage homes, Greg Rapp, at 704.213.6846 to see and appreciate the straight, uncomplicated lines, the hand-craftsmanship, and the color and texture of natural materials in this vintage 1925 Craftsman home. Greg will help you achieve the pure aesthetic you yearn for in your home. 

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