Plan your visit
- Recorded location
- 430 Jefferson St., Matthews
- Official information
- Open the official source →
A historic designation or address does not establish public entry, tours or visitor parking. Confirm access with the property or visitor organization.
| Recorded address | 430 Jefferson St., Matthews |
|---|---|
| National Register | ref 15000183, listed 2015-04-24 |
| Research depth | dossier, independently sourced |
Names and addresses in the source records
These records describe the same property. Addresses and names are retained as recorded; a designation record does not establish current visitor access.
- R.F. Outen Pottery — 430 Jefferson St. · source record
- Outen Pottery — 430 Jefferson St, Matthews, NC 28105 · source record
What we established, and from where
The pottery stands on 1.48 acres in the town of Matthews, in south-eastern Mecklenburg County, rather than in Charlotte itself.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
Rufus Outen built the kiln with the help of a mason named Long.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The brick kiln measures roughly twenty-two feet long and seven feet tall.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The workshop is a one-storey, front-gabled concrete block building roughly twenty-four feet long and fifty feet wide.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
Rufus Outen fired his last batch of pottery in 1976, at the age of 71, the same year his wife Louise died.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The property carries statewide architectural significance under Criterion C for its oil-burning rectangular downdraft kiln.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The pottery is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of industry, assessed within the context of the town of Matthews.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The pottery sits at the end of a dead-end paved residential street.
independent National Park Service / NC SHPO · checked 2026-09-18
The primary source
The National Register nomination is the fullest account of this property that exists, written by a researcher and reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office. The nomination (National Park Service).
Browse from here
all 18 listed places in Matthews