Geitner, Clement, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1882, this two-story brick house on Main Avenue in northwest Hickory was the home of tanner Clement Geitner, who moved from Lititz, Pennsylvania, and opened the town's second and largest tannery. It was the first brick house in its neighborhood and one of the first in the city. Paired windows, bracketed eaves, a three-sided bay window and segmental porch arches reflect Italianate influence, and a center-hall plan with beaded wainscot and a bulls-eye detailed stair survives inside. Geitner's sons Charles and George Harvey became bank directors, industrial investors, school board leaders and mayors, and his daughter Mary was active in the city's literary and civic life. The American Legion used the house from 1938, and a natural gas company bought it in 1962 and added a large rear wing. Its importance rests on its link to one of Hickory's most influential families and to the city's economic growth.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the Geitner family, among the leading industrial, financial and civic families of late nineteenth-century Hickory. Clement Geitner opened the town's second and largest tannery, and his sons Charles and George Harvey served as business leaders and mayors. His daughter Mary Geitner was prominent in literary and civic circles. It was also among the first brick houses in its neighborhood and 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 85000703, listed March 15, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 436 Main Ave. NW, Hickory |
|---|---|
| County | Catawba County |
| Listed | March 15, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85000703 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1882 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate influence |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition; used by a gas company as a service center, after earlier use as an American Legion headquarters. The form says it has been poorly maintained for twenty years but remains largely intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.73268, -81.34570 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 85000703.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18150639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.