Bank of French Broad
Also known as: Roberts Building
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Why it's listed
Built in 1922-23 on Main Street in downtown Marshall, North Carolina, the Bank of French Broad is a red brick Classical Revival building, three stories tall on its west side. Architect James J. Baldwin of Anderson, South Carolina, designed it, and R. W. Wimbish of Athens, Georgia, built it. Limestone arches, keystones and decorative panels mark the exterior, and inside are a marble-finished lobby, original teller counters, a mezzanine directors' room and a vault by the York Safe and Lock Company. The adjoining two-story Roberts Building went up at the same time and was joined to the bank in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The bank was the first in Marshall, founded in 1903, and it operated until 1976. The property was listed for its architecture, as one of the most high-style buildings in town, and for its part in the commercial growth of the Madison County seat between 1922 and 1954.
Significance in brief: The building is argued to be architecturally significant as one of the most high-style buildings in downtown Marshall (Criterion C). It is also significant under Criterion A for its role in Marshall's commercial development, as the home of the town's first bank, founded in 1903, which operated until 1976. The period of significance ends in 1954 because later bank operations were not of exceptional significance.
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 04000584, listed June 10, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 100 Main St., Marshall |
|---|---|
| County | Madison County |
| Listed | June 10, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000584 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Baldwin, James J., architect; Wimbish, R. W., builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Historic functions were financial institution and department store; the current function is listed as work in progress. The bank buildings were joined in the late 1970s to early 1980s and the first floor of the Roberts Building was altered. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 35.79773, -82.68361 (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 04000584.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19460364
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.