McAdenville Historic District
Why it's listed
McAdenville is a textile mill village in eastern Gaston County, North Carolina, laid out in the early 1880s around McAden Mills, a cotton mill chartered in 1881. The district covers about 85 acres along the South Fork of the Catawba River, organized along Main Street. Its best-known feature is a group of fifteen two-story, gable-fronted brick mill houses from the 1880s, mostly duplexes, an uncommon form in a region where mill housing was usually frame. Mill No. 3 (1906-07) survives intact, while only remnants of the first two mills remain. Other parts of the village include a small commercial block along Main Street, churches, houses built for mill owners and managers, frame mill cottages, and a privately owned residential area toward Interstate 85. Of 156 resources, 102 are contributing. Most of the district is still owned by the mill company, which helps explain how well the village has kept its character as one of the region's last company-owned mill towns.
Significance in brief: The district is one of the last company-owned mill villages in the region. It is distinguished by fifteen surviving 1880s two-story brick mill houses, unusual in a South where most mill houses were frame. It also keeps its mill remnants, a small commercial core, and residential areas for mill management and later neighborhoods. The full Section 8 statement is not included in the provided text.
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 08001412, listed February 5, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 100-413 Main St., Elm and Poplar Sts., and cross sts. from I-85 to S. Fork of Catawba River, McAdenville |
|---|---|
| County | Gaston County |
| Listed | February 5, 2009 |
| Reference number | 08001412 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Italianate, Queen Anne, Classical Revival, Colonial Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Ranch |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Most of the district is owned by the mill interests, Pharr Yarns Inc. Mill No. 3 survives in its entirety, while only remnants of Mills No. 1 and 2 remain. Houses are in residential use, and the 100 block of Main Street has commercial use. |
| Acreage | 85 |
| Coordinates | 35.26097, -81.08275 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 08001412.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987000
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.