J. Wilson Alexander Farm Tenant House
Preserve Mecklenburg Inc. (PMI) has led the charge to save the J. Wilson Alexander Farm Tenant House in Cornelius, NC. Tenant houses are historic architectural and cultural artifacts presenting a glimpse into the lives of tenant farmers in the early 20th century. These homes have been disappearing from our landscape primarily due to development. The Alexander Tenant House almost suffered the same fate, however, due to intervention by NC State historic officials, it was mandated by their Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that the developer relocate and restore the exterior of this humble structure.
Although the developer moved the house to a corner parcel of the development where it is now safe from demolition, restoration efforts have not shown much progress since its relocation in the Spring of 2023.
September 27, 2024, Jesse McInerney, the developer, reiterated their commitment to this project in an article in Cornelius Today, “We remain committed to the restoration of the tenant house and hope to see that happening soon,” McInerney said.
On December 16, 2024, Cornelius Today reported that due to financing issues, the development project is at a standstill.
We will continue to update this page as this project unfolds.
PMI Historical Report and Video for the Alexander Tenant House
PMI Additional Information and Links for the Alexander Tenant House
