Summerlin House

The Summerlin House is not just a beautiful Victorian home—it stands as a national landmark and the only remaining Victorian structure in its vicinity. Its historical significance and architectural beauty enrich the fabric of our community, making it a cherished treasure.

Situated directly opposite the Rocky Mount Amtrak Train Station, the Summerlin House serves hundreds of daily passengers and locals traveling along the busy Church Street corridor formerly Highway 301. Its visibility also connects it to key community locations such as the Senior Center and the Fire Station Museum, as well as its proximity to City Hall, making it a focal point of community life.

About the Summerlin House

The Summerlin House is the only surviving dwelling that was constructed during Rocky Mount’s 1890s boom period on Church Street, once an elite residential avenue lined with the large homes of leading citizens. The original owner of this ca. 1895 house is unknown, but Isaac W. Bass, a farmer, resided in the house from circa 1908 through circa 1915. Subsequent occupants include Atlantic Coastline Transfer Station employees Alfred J. and Charles C. Wamsley in 1920. John Truitt owned the dwelling in the early 1930s and was the proprietor of the Truitt Boarding House. H. Oscar Summerlin, who operated the Summerlin Funeral Home which stood next door at 422 S. Church Street, purchased the property in 1940. The Summerlin family occupied the house through the late 1990s, when Preservation Rocky Mount purchased the dwelling in hopes of selling it with protective covenants. In 2018, Celeste Beatty, then brewer at the Rocky Mount Mills, purchased it with plans to convert to a B&B ( Bed & Beer).