{"nrhp_refnum":"78001961","name":"Joyner Building","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Western Carolina University Campus","address_restricted":false,"city":"Cullowhee","county":"Jackson County","state":"NC","lat":35.31119483900005,"lon":-83.17751977999995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-08","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A red brick institutional building completed in 1914 at the center of the older campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, Jackson County, North Carolina, begun in 1913.","why_significant":"The nomination describes it as the oldest building on the campus and its symbolic heart. It was built as the main administration, classroom, laboratory and library building of Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School and marked the start of a long period of expansion in teacher training for western North Carolina. The nomination argues its significance lies in its role in the expansion and improvement of public education in the region.","narrative":"Built in 1913-14 of red brick at the center of the older campus of Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina, the Joyner Building is the oldest building remaining on the campus. John Leach, an area builder, supervised construction. Named for James Yadkin Joyner, then State Superintendent of Public Instruction, it served as the main administration, classroom, laboratory and library building when Cullowhee Normal and Industrial School opened it in 1914. The school prepared public school teachers for western North Carolina, and the building marks the start of a long expansion. Its T-shaped plan, raised basement and eleven-bay front with engaged brick pilasters give it a sturdy, plain character. The central stair has turned balusters and newels. It was the principal administrative building until the late 1950s and has since housed classrooms and practice rooms for the university's Music Department. Its importance rests mainly on its educational and symbolic associations.","period_of_significance":"1900-","architect_builder":"John Leach (builder)","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["A"],"status_note":"Used mainly as classrooms and practice rooms for the University Music Department since the late 1960s.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:42.213772-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/52/7209/47720952/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NC/78001961.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78001961/bdc20c5194-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78001961/bdc20c5194-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Unknown authorUnknown author","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joyner_Building.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown authorUnknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Joyner_Building.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/47720952","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyner_Building","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6297765"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/north-carolina/jackson-county/joyner-building-78001961/"}