Washington Street Historic District
Why it's listed
Along Washington Street in High Point, North Carolina, a linear row of commercial, church, school and house buildings built between about 1906 and 1963 forms the core of the city's African American community. Residents erected dwellings, offices, shops, restaurants, churches and entertainment venues here from the late nineteenth century, creating a mixed-use neighborhood that prospered through much of the twentieth century under segregation. The district contains a Gothic Revival First Baptist Church dating to 1907, the Queen Anne Dr. C. J. H. Gaylord House of 1906, and the William Penn High School complex with its 1930 two-story brick building and 1955 gymnasium. Its buildings range from Queen Anne and Craftsman houses to Art Moderne clinics and Modernist public and community structures. The district is significant for its cohesive collection of these buildings and their association with African American commerce, education and worship.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is the most cohesive, intact collection of early- to mid-twentieth-century buildings associated with High Point's African American community. It is significant for commerce and ethnic heritage, reflecting a mixed-use community that developed under Jim Crow segregation, and for architecture, with examples of Queen Anne, Craftsman, Classical Revival, Gothic Revival, Art Moderne and Modernist styles. The period of significance runs from 1906 to 1963.
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 10001094, listed December 28, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Portions of eight blocks on Washington, Centennial, Fourth, and Hobson Sts, Eccles Pl, and Gaylord Ct, High Point |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | December 28, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10001094 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1906-1963 |
| Architect / builder | Conner, Robert W., architect; Schute, Leon, architect; Voorhees and Everhart, architects |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style; Modern Movement; Art Moderne; Classical Revival; Colonial Revival; Gothic Revival; Queen Anne; Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 29 |
| Coordinates | 35.96435, -80.00015 (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 10001094.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q22061122
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.