Named for botany professor William Chambers Coker, this “Prairie Style” house was sensitively renovated with input from covenant-holder Preservation North Carolina. Although the exterior renovations blend well with the house, the renovations to the foundation and mechanical systems are equally impressive.

 

Professor William Chambers Coker and his wife, Louise, daughter of university president Francis P Venable, purchased 65 acres north of the village and built their modified prairie style house in 1908. The Cokers named the house “The Rocks” for a prominent cluster of rocks facing North Street. The rocky area is preserved for public access and contemplation. The Coker Hills neighborhood was named for Professor Coker, a well-known botanist.

 

609 North Street is listed because of its exceptionally sensitive renovation and preservation of Professor Coker’s legacy.