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Acquired from architectural historian Laura A. W. Phillips, May 2007.
In 2006, Laura A.W. Phillips obtained the materials from the Wheless Family to use for background information while writing a nomination for the Wheless residence for the National Register of Historic Places. She suggested to Kay Wheless Woodward, the daughter of Thomas and Lois Wheless, that the materials be donated to North Carolina State University. Woodward agreed.
[Identification of item], Wheless Family Papers, MC 00138, Special Collections Research Center, North Carolina State University Libraries, Raleigh, NC
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Encoded by Kimberly Cheek,
In 1954, Thomas and Lois Wheless contracted with architect G. Milton Small to design a residence for them in Louisburg, North Carolina. Thomas was a physician, and Lois was a longtime city councilwoman.
G. Milton Small was a major proponent of modernism in North Carolina at the time. The architect has studied with famed modernist leader Mies Van der Rohe in Chicago before moving to Raleigh. The Wheless Residence that he designed is considered an excellent example of mid-twentieth century modern architecture with North Carolina. The house is one story with an open plan and has three bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths and is 2,450 square feet. It is located on a one acre lot. The house sold for $235,000 by Preservation North Carolina in 2007. On August, 28, 2007, the Wheless Residence was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The collection consists of documents on the residence at 106 John Street, Louisburg, North Carolina, designed by G. Milton Small and originally owned by the Wheless Family. The documents are from 1950 to 1995. Also included are some undated material. The collection includes construction and architectural contracts, deeds, invoices (for furnishings, landscaping, contractors), drawings (plot plans, floor plans, construction plans, property and subdivision surveys, and photographs of the Wheless residence. Also included is 1 CD that contains 118 color survey photographs taken by Laura A.W. Phillips for the National Register of Historic Places.
The collection is organized chronologically.