Brooklyn Historic District
Why it's listed
Brooklyn is a compact, grid-patterned neighborhood of about thirty acres just south of downtown Smithfield, with mature shade trees and sidewalks. It contains ninety-two principal buildings, most built between 1870 and 1950, along with garages and sheds. Development began along East Davis Street, where farmer Seth Woodall built an Italianate I-house around 1870, the oldest house in the district. Later houses show the progression of popular styles: Gothic Revival and Italianate in the 1880s, Queen Anne around 1900, Colonial Revival by the 1910s, Craftsman bungalows from about 1915 to 1930, and Tudor Revival and Period Cottages afterward. Local contractor Will Ragsdale built several of the bungalows. Two non-residential landmarks stand here: the former Smithfield Steam Laundry, a brick building of about 1902 with decorative brickwork, and the Craftsman-style Smithfield Elementary School of 1912-1913. The district was listed for its community development and architectural importance, with roughly three-quarters of its resources contributing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Period of significance | circa 1870-1950 |
|---|---|
| Styles | Commercial style, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Acreage | 30 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Brooklyn Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.