The Reid House: Where Reidsville’s Roots Run Deep

 The Reid House: Where Reidsville’s Roots Run Deep

by The History Girl

Nestled right in the heart of downtown Reidsville, North Carolina, stands one of the city’s most quietly proud treasures: the Reid House. With its crisp white columns, gingerbread trim, and a story stretching back to the 19th century, the Reid House isn’t just a charming old home—it’s where Reidsville quite literally began.

A House That Named a Town

Before Reidsville was Reidsville, it was a modest little stop known as Wright’s Crossroads. That changed in the mid-1800s when a certain Reuben Reid and his wife Elizabeth Settle Reid settled here, built this home, and began farming the surrounding land. The Reids weren’t just any early residents—they were the residents. Reuben became a successful farmer and postmaster, and when the town finally got a name, guess who inspired it? Yep. Reid-sville.

Their son, David Settle Reid, went on to become a U.S. Senator and Governor of North Carolina—the first in the state to be elected by popular vote. (A pretty big deal in a time when many elections were still more backroom deal than democratic process.)

A Southern Home With Stately Character

Built around 1881, the Reid House reflects the Victorian style popular during the post-Civil War era, with elegant porches, intricate millwork, and just enough flair to make passersby slow down and stare. It’s not ostentatious—it’s dignified, the way a house with such pedigree ought to be.

The home remained in the Reid family for generations, each one adding their own layer to the story. Today, it operates as the Reid House Museum, maintained by the Reidsville Area Foundation and the local historical society. Visitors can walk through rooms that have witnessed everything from Civil War dispatches to 20th-century garden parties, all under the same roof.

Ghosts? Maybe. Gossip? Definitely.

Like most old Southern homes, the Reid House comes with its fair share of ghost stories, whispered anecdotes, and family lore. No official hauntings have been confirmed (sorry, thrill-seekers), but who wouldn’t want to believe that a Reid or two still keep an eye on their legacy?

And then there’s the more grounded kind of drama—stories of political ambitions, Reconstruction struggles, and the transformation of a sleepy farming community into a booming textile town.

Why It Still Matters

The Reid House is more than just a pretty porch and historical plaque. It tells the story of how one family helped shape a city, and how that city, in turn, helped shape the region. In an era where historic homes are too often bulldozed in favor of parking lots, the Reid House remains a testament to preservation, place, and pride.

So next time you’re in Reidsville, take a detour from the main drag. Walk up the steps, listen for echoes in the hallway, and give a little nod to the Reids. After all, without them, Reidsville might’ve been called something else entirely—like Wrightsville. And that’s already taken.

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