High Point was incorporated in 1859 where the railroad crossed the plank road. Its 1786 Haley House, 26 National Register listings and free museum, with dates.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of High Point, the High Point Museum and the N.C. State Historic Preservation Office. Museum: 336-885-1859.
High Point takes its name from the railroad. It was the highest point along the North Carolina Railroad, built in the mid-1800s, and the town grew up where the tracks crossed the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road, today’s Main Street, according to the city’s history page.
Visit
- High Point Museum, 1859 E. Lexington Ave.: free; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 336-885-1859
- Historical Park at the museum: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays
- Local history research: the Heritage Research Center at the High Point Public Library, 901 N. Main St.
- Historic districts and preservation: Planning and Development, 336-883-3328
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1786 | John and Phebe Wall Haley complete their house, now the oldest surviving documented structure on its original foundation in Guilford County |
| May 26, 1859 | High Point is officially established and incorporated as a town, covering four square miles |
| Late 1800s | High Point becomes a leading furniture manufacturing center in the South |
| 1905 | High Point hosts the first North Carolina Furniture Exposition, forerunner of the High Point Market |
| 1925 | The first High Point holiday parade |
| 1972 | Oak Hollow Lake opens |
| January 2026 | City limits measure 59 square miles, reaching into Guilford, Davidson, Forsyth and Randolph counties |
Sources: the city’s history page, Historical Park page and Oak Hollow Park page, and the High Point Holiday Festival Parade. High Point is the only city in North Carolina that extends into four counties, the city says.
The Furniture Exposition grew into the High Point Market, which the city calls the world’s largest home furnishings trade show, held each spring and fall. Jazz saxophonist John Coltrane grew up in High Point through high school, according to the city.
National Register of Historic Places
These High Point properties and districts are listed on the National Register, with the date each was listed, from the State Historic Preservation Office’s list (PDF) and its 2023 listing file. Listing is an honor; it does not open a private building to the public.
Historic districts
| District | Listed |
|---|---|
| Oakwood Historic District, 100-300 blocks of Oakwood Street | Feb. 7, 1991 |
| Sherrod Park Historic District, 200-300 blocks of Woodrow Avenue | March 14, 1991 |
| West High Street Historic District | April 12, 2007 |
| Washington Street Historic District | Dec. 28, 2010 |
| Uptown Suburbs Historic District | Jan. 9, 2013 |
| Highland Cotton Mills Village Historic District | May 23, 2014 |
Buildings
| Property | Address | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| John Haley House | 1805 E. Lexington Ave. | Aug. 26, 1971 |
| William Penn High School | Washington Drive | Nov. 16, 1978 |
| Kilby Hotel (since demolished) | 627 E. Washington St. | April 22, 1982 |
| Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company Complex | 305 W. High St. | March 17, 1983 |
| O. Arthur Kirkman House and Outbuildings | 501 W. High St. | Jan. 28, 1988 (boundary increase June 9, 1989) |
| Guilford County Office and Court Building | 258 S. Main St. | Dec. 20, 1988 |
| Hardee Apartments | 1102 N. Main St. | March 14, 1991 |
| J.C. Siceloff House | 1104 N. Main St. | March 14, 1991 |
| Dr. C.S. Grayson House | 1009 N. Main St. | March 17, 1994 |
| Deep River Friends Meeting House and Cemetery | 5300 W. Wendover Ave. | Dec. 13, 1995 |
| A.E. Taplin Apartment Building | 408 W. Parkway Ave. | March 1, 1996 |
| John H. Adams House | 1108 N. Main St. | Jan. 11, 2001 |
| Lucy and J. Vassie Wilson House | 425 Hillcrest Drive | May 4, 2005 |
| First Baptist Church | 701 E. Washington Drive | Jan. 8, 2009 |
| Model Farm | 2058 Brentwood St. | April 20, 2011 |
| Allen Jay School Rock Gymnasium | 1201 E. Fairfield Road | Aug. 28, 2012 |
| Enterprise Building | 305 N. Main St. | Dec. 2, 2014 |
| Carolina Casket Company | 812 Millis St. | April 15, 2015 |
| Pickett Cotton Mills | High Point | Sept. 1, 2015 |
| Melrose Hosiery Mill No. 1 | 1533-1547 W. English Road | Nov. 3, 2020 |
Local historic districts
Separately from the National Register, the city protects four local historic districts, where exterior changes need approval from the Historic Preservation Commission, according to the city’s historic districts page:
- Johnson Street, designated in 1987, the city’s first, part of its first suburban subdivision, built in 1907
- Sherrod Park, designated in 1991
- West High Avenue, designated in 2007, with the oldest documented building surviving downtown
- Washington Street, the newest
Museum, park and markers
The High Point Museum cares for more than 37,000 objects, photographs and archive items. Admission is free. Next door, the Historical Park has the John Haley House (1786), the Hoggatt House, a log house built around 1801 and moved to the park in 1973, and a working blacksmith shop dating to about 1841, moved from Davidson County in 1970, according to the city’s Historical Park page. The museum’s calendar of free living-history days is on our things to do this month page. The High Point Historical Society also presents talks at the museum, such as its program on the High Point Public Library at 100 years on Oct. 21, 2026, listed on the city calendar.
The city places historic markers in the public right-of-way after review by the Historic Preservation Commission and approval by the City Council; the current list and map are on its historic markers page.
Related: population and growth, home prices and getting around High Point.
Frequently asked questions
When was High Point, North Carolina, founded?
High Point was officially established and incorporated as a town on May 26, 1859, with an area of four square miles, according to the city.
How did High Point get its name?
From being the highest point along the North Carolina Railroad, built in the mid-1800s. The town grew up where the railroad crossed the Fayetteville and Western Plank Road, now Main Street.
What is the oldest building in High Point?
The John Haley House, completed in 1786 and now part of the High Point Museum’s Historical Park. The city calls it the earliest surviving documented structure on its original foundation in Guilford County.
Is the High Point Museum free?
Yes. The museum at 1859 E. Lexington Ave. is free and open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; the Historical Park is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturdays.
Why is High Point called the Furniture Capital?
By the end of the 1800s it was a leading furniture-making center in the South. The first North Carolina Furniture Exposition in 1905 grew into the High Point Market, held each spring and fall.
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