Peoples Bank Building
Why it's listed
Built about 1923 on a corner lot along South Queen Street in Kinston, this two-story commercial building has a cinder block structure sheathed in textured brick veneer, with limestone trim, brick quoins and a raised parapet. Its arched entrance has a stone surround and a carved eagle above it. The Peoples Bank, chartered in 1921 by a group of black businessmen who had earlier run a banking firm on nearby Bright Street, occupied the building until the bank apparently failed during the Great Depression and the state Commissioner of Banks sold the property in 1931. The building is regarded as the most architecturally sophisticated commercial building in Kinston's black business district. It is considered important as a physical record of black-owned financial enterprise in the city and of the community's effort to develop its own banking institutions. Later occupants included a dry cleaner, a dentist, a lawyer and an insurance company branch.
Significance in brief: The building is significant as the site of one of only two black-owned banks to operate in Kinston and as the most architecturally sophisticated commercial building in the city's black business district. Its Classical Revival detailing is presented as evidence of the success of the bank and of the black community's efforts to build its own financial institutions.
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 89001774, listed November 8, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 242 S. Queen St., Kinston |
|---|---|
| County | Lenoir County |
| Listed | November 8, 1998 |
| Reference number | 89001774 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1923-1931 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The bank apparently ceased operating in 1931 and the building was sold; it has since housed a barber shop on the first floor. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.25743, -77.58110 (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 89001774.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987505
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.