The oldest landmark in Halifax County North Carolina is Person’s Ordinary. This little red house is located in Littleton North Carolina and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Littleton is located in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina and is only about 24 miles from the Virginia border. This quant little town is also nested up to the popular fishing and boating destination of Lake Gaston.
The Person’s Ordinary was actually a tavern and Inn called an ordinary because “Ordinary men can rest here.” It was built somewhere around the 1750’s. It’s kinda hard to find records from back then to verify.
What we do know is the chimney dates back to 1739 and the Ordinary was licensed in 1770. Most likely it was active before it became licensed. An advertisement was published in the Virginia Gazette in 1779 and made reference to the ordinary.
It sits along the stagecoach road that runs from Halifax to Hillsborough. Which was the main route in the area during this time period. This is significant because it is believed to be the only pre-revolutionary war building on this route still in its original location. Wow!… Most building this old would be moved or rotated to face the new roadways.
The ordinary was owned by Thomas Person. Who was a very important political figure in the 1760’s to the 1790’s. He was a brigadier general in command of the Hillsborough district brigade of the North Carolina militia during the revolutionary war and he served on the North Carolina Council of State until the war ended. He even spent 3 weeks in jail after the battle of Alamance during the War of Regulations. Which was a precursor to the Revolution.
Governor William Tryon granted amenities to fellow rioters and combatants but left Person in jail. He was finally released without trial due to a lack of evidence.
Person also was a big supporter of the University of North Carolina of Chapel Hill. He donated 1000 silver bars to help build the chapel. He was on the original board of Trustees for the University. A memorial to the original trustees sits outside Person’s Hall, which bares his name.
In 1791 Caswell County was divided due to population growth. A new county was formed and named Person in his honor.
In 1956 The Littleton Women’s club worked with members of the community to restore the building and bring it back to life. It had suffered damage during hurricane Hazel. The club use the building for their meetings and they hold public events their as well.
Person’s ordinary is truly a location worth visiting the next time you are going fishing or water skiing on Lake Gaston! or even make a special trip to visit this extraordinary ordinary, like we did!
