117 Mallette Street

Text

JOHN MORRIS-GORE-HOCUTT HOUSE
1860
NR nomination: What appears to be one of the earliest houses in the district, this dwelling is characterized by its two-story, three-bay Greek Revival I-form and stone foundation. A Colonial Revival portico is not original. The facade exhibits four-over-four sash windows which appear to be original suggesting a construction date in the third quarter of the nineteenth century. An early one story extension appears to the rear. The names "Morris" and "Harris" both appear in the documents (the former was chosen in this instance), dating from an 1880 deed book, but the structure appears to be antebellum in several of its aspects. The "Gore" in its history is probably Joshua W. Gore, a professor of applied science who directed the expansion of the university electric system in 1901, and also served as Dean of the university, town alderman, and director of the Bank of Chapel Hill. The "Hocutt" was the Rev. John Hocutt, a Baptist minister who, in addition to being the pastor of several churches, was superintendent of the Orange County schools.

In the 1998 survey, this was deemed a Contributing Building.

2015 Survey Update: The building has vinyl siding and replacement windows at the first-floor level with original four-over-four wood-sash windows at the second floor. The replacement one-light French door, centered on the façade has a one-light transom and is sheltered by an arched porch supported by columns. A one-story, gabled ell at the left rear (northeast) has an interior brick chimney and a group of three double-hung windows on its north elevation. The ell connects to a one-story, side-gabled wing that extends beyond the right (south) elevation of the main house. Enclosed porches within the ell created by the rear wings have been enclosed with grouped vinyl casement windows. A loose stone wall extends across the front and left (north) sides of the property.

GARAGE
One-story front-gabled frame garage, deteriorated in 1997, has been demolished. In the 1998 survey, this was deemed a Noncontributing Building.

SOURCES: Kaye Graybeal, National Register of Historic Places Nomination: West Chapel Hill Historic District, Orange County OR1439 (Raleigh, NC: North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office, 1998); Heather Slane and Cheri Szcodronski, 2015 Survey Update (NCSHPO HPOWEB 2.0, accessed 10 Jan. 2020); courtesy of the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office.