Kernersville Depot
Why it's listed
Built about 1873, this one-story depot of mortise-and-tenon construction and board-and-batten siding stands beside the railroad tracks in Kernersville. It was erected when the Northwestern North Carolina Railroad extended its line from Greensboro toward Winston, bringing the first rail service to Kernersville and the first to Winston. Its gable roof runs parallel to the tracks, with extended eaves sheltering loading docks on each side, and a chimney serves the office and waiting room at the east end. Its interior retains exposed timbering in the freight warehouse, beaded board finishes, and fireplaces, though the mantels were removed at an unknown date. The depot is regarded as the second oldest known railroad building in western North Carolina and the only surviving railroad building in Kernersville. Its utilitarian form, diagonally sheathed freight doors and segmentally arched bays are typical of early depots, and the building is valued for its role in the town's nineteenth-century industrial growth.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the depot is the only remaining railroad building in Kernersville and the second oldest known railroad building in western North Carolina, after the Thomasville Depot of 1870. Its arrival enabled the town's late nineteenth-century manufacturing growth, and its utilitarian construction features are characteristic of early depots.
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 88000133, listed February 25, 1988. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 121 Railroad St., Kernersville |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | February 25, 1988 |
| Reference number | 88000133 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1873-1920 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The depot now serves as storage for a farm and garden supply business across Bodenhamer Street; it is in poor condition but maintained enough to remain weathertight. |
| Acreage | 1.2 |
| Coordinates | 36.12215, -80.07068 (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 88000133.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18619238
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.