Spinning Wheel
Why it's listed
Built in 1939 on Hendersonville Road about five miles south of downtown Asheville, the Spinning Wheel combines three linked sections. Its main room is a reassembled log cabin salvaged from northern Buncombe County, with half-dovetail notched logs and a fieldstone chimney. A glassed dog-trot connects it to a frame loom room that housed six heavy timber looms. Architect William Waldo Dodge, Jr. supervised the dismantling and reconstruction of the cabin and designed the building. Clementine Douglas operated it as a weaving workshop and sales gallery, and it became a center for the Southern Highland Handicraft Guild. During the Second World War, when travel was restricted, the shop turned to mail order sales to keep its weavers employed. The Spinning Wheel is significant for its connection to the handicraft revival, for its association with Douglas, and for the architecture of its log section. The 1945 concrete block shipping extension is also part of its history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its role in the Southern Appalachian handicraft revival, where it housed a weaving industry, retail sales gallery and mail order business from 1939 to 1948. It is also associated with craft leader Clementine Douglas and is regarded as a notable example of architecture by William Waldo Dodge, Jr., using a salvaged log cabin and high integrity.
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 99000913, listed July 28, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1096 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville |
|---|---|
| County | Buncombe County |
| Listed | July 28, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000913 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1939-1948 |
| Architect / builder | William Waldo Dodge, Jr. (architect) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The 1945 extension is within the period of significance; the weather vane is missing; the building was sold in 1948 and converted to a gift shop, and now houses various retail businesses. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.53548, -82.52788 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 99000913.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18158313
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.