Efird Building
Why it's listed
Built around 1919 at 133 East Davis Street, this three-story commercial building housed the Burlington branch of the Efird Department Stores, a chain that grew to fifty-four stores across the Carolinas and Virginia. Its street front is sheathed in white enamelled terra cotta in a Neo-Gothic Revival design, with applied tracery, pointed arches, quatrefoils and an ornate parapet, set among otherwise plain corbeled brick neighbors. Inside, pressed-tin ceilings survive on the first two floors. The store opened as Efird's in 1920 and stayed until the early 1930s, then was followed by a bookstore and stationery company and later by furniture businesses. Later changes include glass brick windows on the upper floors and a flat metal awning, though the tile facade remains. The building is recognized for its link to Burlington's growth as a textile center, for its association with the Efird brothers' "one price" cash retailing, and for its ornate design, which was meant to attract customers.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building reflects Burlington's rapid downtown growth from the late 1910s to 1930. It is tied to the Efird family, founders of a 54-store chain that pioneered the "one price" cash department store. Its white enamelled terra cotta Neo-Gothic Revival facade is described as the most distinctive storefront in the city.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84001914, listed May 31, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 133 E. Davis St., Burlington |
|---|---|
| County | Alamance County |
| Listed | May 31, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001914 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific date 1919) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as continually occupied since construction; a furniture company occupied it at the time of the nomination. The interior is largely intact, and the facade was altered after 1949 with glass brick windows and a metal awning. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Burlington Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 36.09302, -79.43755 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84001914.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q17508245
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.