Bolick Historic District
Also known as: Bolick Buggy Shop; Bolick Family Houses
Why it's listed
Bolick Historic District, at the southern edge of Conover, groups the surviving buildings of a family buggy works with four houses built by the founder's sons. The oldest building is the 1883 buggy shop, a one-story structure with a lower third of cut stone and brick above. Jerome Bolick built it, and he patented a steel spring wheel in 1888. His firm made buggies until demand fell after 1919, then moved to truck bodies and, from 1929, school buses, becoming one of the larger bus builders in the South before closing in 1978. The houses date from about 1905 to 1938 and include a gambrel-roofed Colonial Revival dwelling, a 1920 bungalow, and two brick Colonial Revival houses. One of these, from 1936, was designed by Hickory architect R. L. Clemmer and has a rustic cabin, bowling alley and barbecue shelter. The district was recognized for industrial history, architecture and its link to Jerome Bolick.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for industry as the site of a buggy maker that shifted to truck and school bus bodies and closed in 1978. It also has architectural value in its 1883 brick-and-stone buggy shop and the Colonial Revival and bungalow houses, one designed by architect R. L. Clemmer. It is also tied to Jerome Bolick, called the 'Father of Conover Industry'.
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 90001032, listed July 5, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | First Ave. S. between US 64/70 and 12th St., Conover |
|---|---|
| County | Catawba County |
| Listed | July 5, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001032 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1883-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Jerome Bolick; R. L. Clemmer, architect; Herman & Sipe Builders |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival; Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The 1883 buggy shop is not in use. The later factory buildings are used as warehousing, and the houses remain dwellings. |
| Acreage | 11 |
| Coordinates | 35.69788, -81.21984 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 90001032.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18149039
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.