O'Hanlon Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1915 at the northwest corner of Fourth and Liberty Streets in Winston-Salem, the eight-story O'Hanlon Building was designed by architect Willard C. Northup in a classical scheme with a terra cotta base, a brick shaft and a terra cotta eighth story and cornice. Its ground floor held O'Hanlon's Drug Store, which had a soda fountain, a mezzanine tea garden and fixtures from firms in Columbus, Georgia and Philadelphia. Edward W. O'Hanlon, a pharmacist who came to Winston in 1892, commissioned the building after a fire destroyed his earlier store in 1913. Until 1917 it was the tallest building in the city, and the corner was long known as O'Hanlon's Corner. The building is regarded as an important example of early twentieth-century commercial prosperity and of the eclectic skyscraper style in the city. Its upper floors have stood largely empty since the 1970s.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its association with the early twentieth-century commercial boom in Winston-Salem, for its link to pharmacist Edward W. O'Hanlon, and as an example of early skyscraper design in the eclectic classical manner by architect Willard C. Northup. It was the city's tallest building until 1917 and remains a landmark at the gateway to Fourth Street.
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 84002269, listed July 12, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 103 W. 4th St., Winston-Salem |
|---|---|
| County | Forsyth County |
| Listed | July 12, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1915 |
| Architect / builder | Willard C. Northup (architect) |
| Architectural style | Classical; eclectic early skyscraper |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most upper-floor office space has remained vacant and deteriorating since the 1970s, according to the document; in 1983 a Durham development corporation held an option to renovate it. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Winston-Salem Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.09849, -80.24526 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 84002269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18706052
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.