Citizens Bank and Trust Company Building, Former
.jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
Built in 1921 on North Main Street in Waynesville, the two-story brick bank has a temple-front facade of marble with a barrel-vaulted entrance flanked by Ionic pilasters and a tall marble-faced parapet. It was erected for the Citizens Bank and Trust Company, which had grown from the Bank of Waynesville, founded in 1887 as the first bank west of Asheville. The building was meant to project stability as the town grew with the arrival of the railroad and the nearby Champion Coated Paper Company mill in Canton. The bank became overextended during the 1920s boom and closed in 1932, after which the building was taken over by its depositors and later housed a jewelry store and other retail uses. The interior retains a marble-wainscoted main room, a mezzanine with a paneled balustrade, and original plumbing fixtures. The facade was altered in the 1950s, but the building remains the tallest structure on the street and is regarded as a leading example of early twentieth-century bank architecture in the town.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant for its contribution to the commercial development of Waynesville and Haywood County. It was the town's most impressive building when erected and reflects the growth of banking tied to the railroad, the Champion paper mill in Canton, and the 1920s boom. The bank failed in 1932, and the building has since housed retail uses.
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 91000261, listed March 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 161 N. Main St., Waynesville |
|---|---|
| County | Haywood County |
| Listed | March 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000261 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1921-1932 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Facade altered in the 1950s with a plate glass storefront; the building has housed retail operations since the bank closed. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Waynesville Main Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.49109, -82.98715 (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 91000261.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460994
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.