Downtown Smithfield Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Hood Brothers Building
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Brick commercial buildings from about the 1890s through the 1930s line the streets around the crossing of South Third and Market streets in Smithfield, the Johnston County seat. The district grew after an 1889 fire destroyed the earlier business core, and rebuilding concentrated at this intersection. Growth accelerated with the railroad, which reached the town in 1882, and with the bright leaf tobacco market established after 1898. Most buildings are modest, one- and two-story structures with corbelled cornices, recessed panels, quoins and flat stone lintels, typical of commercial towns across eastern North Carolina. Several stand out: the three-story Austin Building of 1921, with its red pressed brick facade, the Neoclassical Hood Brothers Building and First Citizens Bank, and the Howell Theater of 1935, regarded as the finest Art Deco building in the town. Many storefronts have been altered, but the upper floors retain much of their original design, materials and scale.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is a remarkably intact collection of traditional early twentieth-century commercial architecture typical of small eastern North Carolina towns. It also points to individually notable buildings, including the Hood Brothers Building, the Neoclassical First Citizens Bank, the Howell Theater (Art Deco) and the Austin Building department store, and ties the district's growth to the railroad and bright leaf tobacco trade.
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 93001120, listed October 14, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S. Third and Market Sts., Smithfield |
|---|---|
| County | Johnston County |
| Listed | October 14, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001120 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1896-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Rose, D.J.; Hildebrand, Miles |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Art Deco |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The district is described as remaining vital, with most stores occupied for retail use; the Hood-Spiers Building is noted as currently vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.51113, -78.34595 (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 93001120.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18922591
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.