M & O Chevrolet Company
Why it's listed
Built between 1934 and 1937 in Fayetteville, the M & O Chevrolet Company building is a one-story Art Deco dealership and service center designed by Frank Benton of Wilson and constructed by the Dixon Construction Company. Its horizontal massing is broken by a vertical central tower, and its rounded corners, stepped roofline and black glass tower ornament reflect the style. Interior features include a tile floor of white, black, green and red shapes, geometric ceiling patterns and wide curved woodwork. Behind the showroom, a barrel-vaulted service center of common bond brick is supported by metal trusses, leaving no posts in the work area. The company, formed in 1926, was Fayetteville's first Chevrolet dealership and occupied the site on Franklin and Donaldson Streets. The building is regarded as the only surviving Art Deco building in the local architectural landscape and is associated with the automobile row district.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a rare and unique local example of Art Deco architecture, with an angular composition, geometric decoration and modern materials. It is also associated with automobile row, the cluster of dealerships southwest of the Market House in the 1920s and 1930s, and with Fayetteville's first Chevrolet dealership.
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 83001858, listed July 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 412 W. Russell St., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | July 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001858 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1934-1937 |
| Architect / builder | Frank Benton (architect), Wilson, NC; Dixon Construction Company (builder) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Continues to serve as a Chevrolet dealership |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.05317, -78.88433 (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 83001858.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18217032
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.