Edgecombe Agricultural Works
Why it's listed
Hidden among later structures in Tarboro, this brick building near the railroad at the north of town dates from soon after the Civil War. It has a long, low gable roof, common-bond brick, flat arches over the windows, pilaster strips separating the bays, a corbel cornice and stepped, parapeted gable ends. A lunette in the east gable is ringed by the painted words Edgecombe Agricultural Works. Inside is a large room with heavy timber framing and chamfered posts finished with lambs tongues. The works repaired and manufactured farm implements and is evidently the oldest surviving industrial building in Tarboro and Edgecombe County. A. J. Hines is listed as proprietor in 1872, and by 1877 George Howard owned it, with the Howard family holding it for decades. An 1890 map shows an engine room, machine shop, pattern shop and storage rooms. Farmers came from miles around, and the firm is credited with an unusually good cotton planter. It later became the Edgecombe Machine Shop and is now part of a laundry.
Significance in brief: It is evidently the oldest surviving industrial building in Tarboro and Edgecombe County, predating the later mill, tobacco and cotton buildings. It was the central building of a complex that repaired and manufactured farm implements, which was crucial to the county's postwar agriculture. The firm is credited with inventing a well-designed cotton planter.
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 80002828, listed April 2, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Main, Howard, Albemarle, and Walnut Sts., Tarboro |
|---|---|
| County | Edgecombe County |
| Listed | April 2, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002828 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The complex has been altered in the mid-20th century, but the central building survives and is now part of a laundry. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.90515, -77.54053 (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 80002828.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461532
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.