412 Armfield Street
Statesville Male Academy and
BA Cowen Home
Academy: 1874 Home: 1913-1914
Statesville Male Academy was a school which many of Statesville's "elite" paid tuition. For many year's it was run by Professor J H Hill who later became Superintendant of Statesville Schools.
Benjamin Allen Cowan purchased the school and converted it to a home in 1913-1914. Mr. Cowan began work for Southern Railway in 1899 and worked for 26 years. He did not take "real vacations" and said his "hobby is staying on the job". He retired only when his health declined. He served on the Statesville Board of Alderman 4 terms. Mr. Cowan brought the day's money and receipts home from the railway station every night. He would sleep with money and a gun under his pillow. One night, his wife got out of bed and went to get a glass of water. Mr. Cowan awoke to the sound of footsteps down the hall. He jumped up and cocked his gun. When she spoke, he realized who he was about to shoot and went back to bed.
The architectual style is Colonial Revival.
