Pendergrass Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1904 on Main Street in Franklin, the two-story brick building was constructed by J. R. Pendergrass, a former Baptist pastor and school superintendent who ran a dry goods business there. Its plate glass storefront, cast iron piers and interior of heart-of-yellow pine counters, turned maple posts and a mezzanine balcony survive largely intact. The store sold foodstuffs, school books, building materials and clothing, and Pendergrass offered small cash loans to customers. Its upper apartment has seven fireplaces and an oak mantel in each. The building was operated by the Pendergrass family until 1975, after fire damage that year. In 1988 the Macon County Historical Society acquired it, and it now houses a local history museum. It is recognized for its commercial and architectural significance to the town and county.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is a notable example of early twentieth-century popular small-scale commercial design and remains virtually unaltered. It is also linked to the development of retail trade in Macon County through the Pendergrass family's store, which supplied goods, cash loans and other services to residents and surrounding communities until 1975.
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 91001469, listed September 26, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6 W. Main St., Franklin |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | September 26, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001469 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1941 |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated as a retail store until 1975; purchased by the Macon County Historical Society in 1988 for use as a local history museum. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.17988, -83.38120 (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 91001469.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18155823
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.