The Circa 1868 Stewart-Marsh House is For Sale!

West Square Historic District, also known as the Salisbury Historic District, is one of Salisbury, North Carolina's most prestigious neighborhoods.

When Salisbury, North Carolina was laid out as the new county seat, it was divided into four quadrants by the intersection of the primary axis of the streets now known as Innes and Main Street.  The town plan was clarified into a grid system that remains largely unaltered today.  By the middle of the 19th century, the "great western ward" had become the most fashionable residential quadrant.  In 1857, the Fayetteville Observer described the West Square as "the part of town where the best dwellings are located."  In the West Square, you'll find the circa 1868 Stewart Marsh House at 220 S. Ellis Street!  Let Realtor® Greg Rapp | Salisbury Real Estate LLC give you a tour!

The Stewart-Marsh House, built during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, is a Federal-style 2-story frame structure three bays wide and one bay deep with a gabled roof and two exterior single-shouldered chimneys on each gabled end.  A meticulously kept brick walk leads you to the handsome one-story pedimented gabled portico that shelters the entry. 

The home offers 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths. Inside the front door, a center hall is flanked by the formal living room to the right and a beautiful knotty-pine walled den at the left, each with original fireplaces, mantels, & original wood floors.  

A formal dining room between the living room and kitchen streams natural light with a large window array. Our favorite spot: The screened porch off the living room offers a shady retreat with cool breezes in summer. 

The first floor fireplaces are their original soft brick. (Two upstairs fireplaces were removed at some point.) A wood-walled storage closet under the staircase still has its original lock and key.

Back through the center hall, you'll find the one and two-story additions that were built onto the rear portion of the original 4-room house over the years.  Here you'll find the kitchen with Corian counters, loads of cupboards, and an adorable breakfast nook with double banquette seating. The kitchen opens to a sitting room that was originally a porch, evident from the slope of the ceiling. This offers French doors that lead to a charming rear deck overlooking pristine gardens.  Just off this sitting room you'll find the first floor bedroom, currently used as an office, that offers the home's third full bath and dual closets. This would make a wonderful main-floor owners' suite.

A wide turned staircase  leads to a galleried landing flanked by the two upper bedrooms. Each of these bedrooms once had sleeping porches facing the sweeping back yard.  These porches have been converted to spacious bathrooms, offering a beautiful private bath for each room.

This beautiful home features many original wood floors, relatively narrow planked on the main floor and wide-planked upstairs. One of the upstairs bedrooms features its original wide wooden board ceiling. Most of the window are original 6-over-6, with almost square panes of glass.

A wide swath of undulating concrete drive leads to a cottage-style detached garage with second-story storage room, surrounded by the deep back yard resplendent with garden flowers and foliage. The garage has water and natural gas plumbed to the building (but not yet connected).

This immaculate home with many original details has been featured twice in the annual OctoberTour™ historic home tour sponsored by Historic Salisbury Foundation. The current owners have kept this vintage home in immaculate condition both inside and out and have taken great pride in preserving its historic integrity. The Stewart-Marsh House, while nestled in the desirable West Square Neighborhood, is close to many downtown amenities: library, shopping, restaurants, museums and galleries, and the City's new $12 million central park (www.BellTowerGreen.com). Call Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate LLC to schedule an appointment to view this fine home in person.  704.213.6846: Own a piece of history!

Stewart Marsh House circa 1868
220 S. Ellis Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
CMLS#3757059
$329,000

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

Everyone's Favorite: The Bungalow ~ SOLD by Greg Rapp | Salisbury Real Estate LLC

The Arts & Crafts Bungalow is the one home architecture design that has stood the test of time, and adapts itself to nearly all lifestyles and demographics!  Spacious rooms, high ceilings, deep verandas, and fireplaces!  This beautiful 1923 Craftsman-Style bungalow on North Fulton Street in Salisbury, North Carolina is no exception!

Realtor Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate LLC spotted this home that originally needed a bit of TLC, and contacted a local investor who purchased and refurbished it from top to bottom!

705 N. Fulton Street, with three bedrooms, 2 baths, and over 1500 square feet now sports a new roof, all new electrical service, and a new kitchen. The original floors were intact but are now beautifully refinished.  The deep rocking chair front porch has new flooring, and a beautiful new wood deck overlooks the expanse of back yard.  A HUGE basement presents a newly poured concrete floor throughout.  Original windows overlook the other vintage homes along Fulton Street. The home is close to parks and walking trails, as well as the downtown area of Salisbury, filled with unique shops, galleries, public library, theaters, and breweries.

And today . . . this fine specimen of a historic Arts & Crafts home has a new owner, who says, "There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind. -C.S. Lewis. Cheers to this new adventure! I couldn’t have done this without my friends or Greg Rapp, hands down the best realtor I’ve ever worked with!"

Because Greg Rapp is so well connected to local investors and the buyer/seller market in this area, he was able to match a buyer to the seller through this pipeline before the house was ever publicly listed.

Are you ready for quick turnaround on YOUR property?  Call Greg at 704.213.6846....the area's expert on vintage and historic homes.

#GregRappRealtor #SalisburyNC #RealEstateSalisbury #SalisburyNCRealEstate #RealEstate #HomesForSale #ArtsandCraftsHomes #OldHouseGuy #SellingSalisbury #ListWithME


705 N. Fulton Street

Salisbury, NC 28144

CMLS #3746597

$187,000  SOLD!!

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

Unique Circa 1925 Artist's Bungalow Sold!

Nestled into an idyllic corner of the North Main Historic District of Salisbury, North Carolina, sits a unique circa 1925 Arts & Crafts bungalow.  From the front facade, elevated from the sidewalk with a small set of brick steps, the home resembles many another bungalow with its shutter windows, azaleas and rose bushes, and gracious rocking chair porch with stately columns. But 120 E Miller Street has a surprise within! 

In 1960, a pair of sisters owned the now 2284 square-foot J. E. Blalock House.  It came to be so spacious as the sisters essentially added a second home abutted to the original Miller Street bungalow.  Unlike the common duplex, each sister had their own 'apartment', but living spaces flow from one to the other, not divided by separating walls. So, yes, two kitchens, two living rooms, two baths, and four bedrooms, seamlessly flowing from one to the other with a long stretch of sunlit windows.

In recent years, the reclusive artist Kenneth Koskela lived in the home, using the second apartment as studio and workspace, surrounded by a massive library of art, architecture, and history books, and a plethora of art supplies.

Realtor® Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate LLC listed the historic J. E. Blalock House, with its beautiful heart of pine floors and Craftsman features like the matching windows besides the fireplace in the living room, the unique window styling for a buffet in the dining room and the original circa 1930s kitchen cabinets, on April 10th. . . and this unique dwelling was under contract by April 14th.  Yes, it needed TLC but buyers saw the potential here in this striking home. Today, new owners move into this historic home!

The J. E. Blalock house is listed on the National Register of Historic Districts and is located in Salisbury's North Main Historic District directly behind the historic ca. 1799 John Steele House on what was once the Lombardy Plantation.  Changes to the exterior must be approved by the City of Salisbury's Historic Preservation Commission.  

So many homes in Salisbury, North Carolina ~ particularly in the (10) historic districts that radiate from the center of town, are located close to a variety of amenities including public library, art gallery, two breweries, multiple restaurants, theaters, and boutique shops.  And when you list your home with Greg Rapp / Salisbury Real Estate ~ you have the advantage of a a real estate agent who KNOWS THE AREA and can share with your potential buyers the beauty and benefits of living in Salisbury NC! Call Greg today to list YOUR home:  704.213.6846  

Homes are selling lightning fast ~ use the agent who can maneuver the process in step with the speed you need!  GREG RAPP | SALISBURY REAL ESTATE LLC | 704.213.6846

120 E Miller Street
Salisbury NC 28144-3616
CMLS#3727746
$129,000  SOLD!!!

Greg Rapp 
SALISBURY REAL ESTATE LLC 
704.213.6846 | GregRappRealtor@gmail.com
www.realestatesalisbury.net 

#GregRappRealtor #SalisburyRealEstateLLC #SalisburyRealEstate #HistoricHomeSaleExpert #ListWithMe #SellingSalisbury #OldHouseGuy #SalisburyNC #SalisburyHistoricDistricts

Circa 1897 Second Empire Granite Castle for SALE in Salisbury, NC!

The bold granite exterior. The 15 spacious rooms spread over three floors. The steep mansard slate-tiled roof, punctuated by numerous dormers. The two-story tower topped by a granite balustrade. The handsome structure in back that was the original kitchen. Long a conversation piece for both its majesty and current state, we are talking about the Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House at 619 S. Main Street.  This extremely unique property, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is one of four important houses left on South Main Street, a once proud residential street that long ago fell victim to commercialization. And now, this circa 1897 granite block home is FOR SALE with Realtor® Greg Rapp with Salisbury Real Estate. One of the finest homes on the market available for restoration!

This wonderful, historic 4,898 square-foot Gothic Revival granite home was home to General McCanless, who raised his family in the beauty of this home. Constructed of granite block, this property sits on one full acre along Main Street in the beautiful downtown area of Salisbury, NC. The property includes an historic cookhouse with its original working fireplace. The Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House is a unique rusticated granite-block 3-story house. Most distinctive features are its rounded tower, wraparound porch, and mansard roof with decorative slate shingles. 

The structure has been empty, and has been the victim of several attempted restorations; however, the exterior is remarkably intact. The interior integrity ranges from good to gutted, yet many features survive. 

The 1st floor front reception and parlor rooms retain their original form, including the parlor's curved walls and moldings. 

The main staircase leads to the 2nd story where there are four bedrooms and a sitting room. The front bedroom also retains its curved walls, baseboard, closet with shelving, and the mantel with its tile hearth.  The homes impressive 12-foot ceilings and much of the incredible millwork remain.  

The 3rd floor, while at first glance seems to have nothing intact, upon further examination shows to be retaining its original framing, layout, narrow wood flooring, and molded window surrounds.  There were two first-floor bathrooms, but they are now gutted.

Just to the rear of the home, the original cookhouse - or kitchen building  - retains two rooms and a central chimney and original fireplace. 

Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless was an energetic man who at his death on Jan. 27, 1920, was described in a Salisbury Evening Post obituary as “a great builder” and “doubtless identified with more enterprises than any other man of this county of any age.” Between at least 1891 and 1917, McCanless had a hand in the organization, funding and building of an extraordinary number of ventures. In addition to countless commercial endeavors, he is credited with the layout of Thomas Street and built several other houses. He macadamized some of Salisbury’s streets, and was involved with Salisbury’s streetcar system through the Salisbury Electric Light and Street Railway Co, Spencer Street Railway, and the Salisbury-Monroe Railroad. Much of the Salisbury of today is due in very large measure to Mr. McCanless’ activities and interests. Manufacturing, farming, mining, quarrying, banking and other activities owe much to his guiding hand and wisdom. 

“The Architecture of Rowan County,” by Davyd Foard Hood, describes the house as a Second Empire stone house, and it is perhaps the only domestic example of the style rendered in stone in North Carolina.

The Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House is set back from the street on a grassy, but treeless, one-acre lot.  A sidewalk separates the lot from the street right-of-way. North of the house, the lot is bordered by a tree-and shrub-planted green space lining Military Avenue. Beyond the rear of the house to the east, railroad tracks raised on an earth berm separate the National Cemetery from the properties along South Main Street. 

A two-story, stuccoed, Craftsman-style dwelling - originally the home of the McCanlesses' son, Walter - stands to the southwest across South Main Street. The home is now used commercially. To the north, west, and south of the McCanless House, South Main Street - once lined with grand one and two-story dwellings - is now populated by commercial buildings.

Ed Clement, a Historic Salsibury Foundation board member, is quoted in the Salisbury Post as saying that an engineer who examined 616 S. Main Street considers it to be structurally sound, and was impressed with the two-brick thickness of some of the walls, the wide floor joists and relatively good condition of much of the interior woodwork as well as the solid granite facing outside. The unique granite columns for the front porch are surprisingly intact, though the granite balusters are missing in a corner. However, the house needs complete rehab.

The Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House has vast potential as a commercial property ~ or can be converted to a domestic residence. It was a restaurant (Bonaparte's) in the 1980s, and was a fabric store, amongst other uses.  Most recently the property was owned by Livingstone College who planned to use the structure for their culinary school.  The structure is currently a blank slate that could be live/work space, a brewery, offices, restaurant ~ or a home ~ endless possibilities. Its size, capacity, zoning and location allow for many options.  The hope is that the house’s return to prominence can spark a revitalization on South Main Street in Salisbury.

An additional lot (Parcel 015-399A) is included in the sale [the extra lot is partially zoned as flood plain].

In June 2019, Historic Salisbury Foundation (HSF) purchased the Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House from Livingstone College.  The house was featured in the Foundation's October Tour 2020. In January of 2021, HSF entered into a three year partnership with The Ghost Guild, Inc. to explore reports of unexplained activity in and around the property. The Ghost Guild, Inc. is a registered nonprofit organization that will be investigating the Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless House several times per year and present its findings as part of the Foundation's annual October Tour.

This property has local Landmark status with discounted property taxes. Property is also on the National Register of Historic Places and is eligible for both federal and state tax credits if used in a commercial application or state tax credits if used as a residence. Historic Salisbury Foundation Covenants and Deed Restrictions are listed in the document section of the listing.

The Napoleon Bonaparte McCanless house is listed below tax value, and is being sold AS-IS. To see the house in person, call Greg Rapp / Salisbury Real Estate at 704-213-6846 and make a showing appointment.  Don't let this fabulous structure's rugged appearance fool you ~ it is an astounding building with superior potential ~ a diamond in the rough! 

619 South Main Street
Salisbury, North Carolina 28144
$225,000
CMLS #3710108 [commercial]
CMLS #3710299 [residential]

Greg Rapp 
Realtor® Broker

Salisbury Real Estate LLC 
704 213 6846 
www.realestatesalisbury.net