Morganton in Burke County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Tate House

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 3, 2024

1. Tate House Marker

Inscription.
This property has been
placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 35° 44.641′ N, 81° 41.349′ W. Marker is in Morganton, North Carolina, in Burke County. It can be reached from the intersection of West Union Street (U.S. 64) and South King Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 S King St, Morganton NC 28655, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of

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the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Morganton (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Burke Courthouse (about 700 feet away); Our Confederate Soldiers (about 700 feet away); Burke County Veterans K.I.A. Memorial (about 700 feet away); The Charters of Freedom (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sam J. Ervin, Jr. (approx. 0.2 miles away); Alva Theater (approx. 0.2 miles away); Tod R. Caldwell (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Morganton.

Regarding Tate House. Excerpt from the National Register nomination:

The Greek Revival portion of the Tate House was built by Dr. William L. McRee, a Morganton physician, who died in 1855. Following McRee's death, Samuel McDowell Tate is said to have bought the house in anticipation of his marriage to Miss Jennie Pearson, which Was delayed until after the Civil War. Their marriage took place on October 29, 1866, and Tate set about expanding and embellishing McRee's house (which had been rented during the interim).
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 3, 2024

2. Tate House Marker
Loss of Burke County records during the Civil War prevents accurate dating of these transactions. Family tradition has it that by the time their second child was born (1869), the remodeling was complete and the house had much the form it bears today.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Tate recruited and was commissioned captain of Company D, 6th Infantry Regiment, North Carolina state troops. Participating in some of the most important battles of the war, Tate was wounded several times and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel at Gettysburg. Following the war he was elected president of the Western North Carolina Railroad. … He was elected to the lower house of the North Carolina General Assembly in l874, and soon became one of the commanding figures in that body. The establishment of the Hospital for the Insane in Morganton and the removal of the North Carolina School for the Deaf from Raleigh to Morganton were among his accomplishments. In 1886 he Was appointed national bank examiner for the district extending from West Virginia to Florida and served in that capacity until 1892. He was appointed treasurer of North Carolina
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 3, 2024

3. Tate House
The circa 1850 house (also known as The Cedars) was transformed into a Second Empire mansion by Samuel McDowell Tate in 1868.
that same year, serving until 1894.

Also see . . .
1. Tate House (PDF). National Register nomination for the property, which was listed in 1973. (Prepared by Survey and Planning Unit, N.C. Office of Archives and History; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Tate, Samuel McDowell. Samuel McDowell Tate, merchant, soldier, railroad official, and legislator, was born in Morganton. Of French-Huguenot and Scots-Irish heritage, he was the eldest son of David, who for many years represented Burke County in both houses of the North Carolina General Assembly, and Susan Maria Tate. (Elaine Doerschuk Pruitt, Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, 1996; via NCpedia) (Submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Samuel McDowell Tate (1830-1897) image. Click for full size.

Biographical history of North Carolina …, Samuel A. Ashe, ed., 1905; via Archive.org (Public Domain)

4. Samuel McDowell Tate (1830-1897)

The Cedars Marker above the National Register plague image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, September 30, 2023

5. The Cedars Marker above the National Register plague

City of Morganton Historic Place
The Cedars
ca. 1850

Col. S..Mc. D. Tate cornerstone image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, September 30, 2023

6. Col. S..Mc. D. Tate cornerstone

Full view of Tate House image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mark Parker, September 30, 2023

7. Full view of Tate House

Credits. This page was last revised on September 14, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 549 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 5, 6, 7. submitted on September 13, 2024, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.