Crane Company Building (Former)
Why it's listed
Built in 1928 at 1307 West Morehead Street, southwest of downtown Charlotte, this two-story warehouse was constructed for the Crane Company, a national producer and distributor of plumbing, heating and industrial supplies. Its reinforced concrete frame, brick curtain walls and steel sash windows made it largely fireproof, and the structure was designed to carry the heavy loads of steel plumbing stock. The front facade has a parapet with two urns, herringbone brick spandrels and pilasters with alternating brick and concrete bands. Charlotte's textile mills created strong demand for industrial products, and national suppliers placed distribution facilities in the city. The site sat beside the Piedmont and Northern Railway, and West Morehead Street grew into a warehouse and industrial corridor after highway connections opened in 1927. The building is among the earliest and best preserved of the few pre-World War II industrial properties left along the street. Its period of significance runs from 1928 to 1950.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under Criterion A for commerce, as a well-preserved reminder of the warehouses and distribution facilities that made Charlotte the leading manufacturing and distribution center of the Carolinas. It is described as one of the earliest and best preserved properties in the West Morehead Street industrial corridor, where only seven pre-World War II industrial and warehouse properties survive.
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 01000423, listed May 8, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1307 W. Morehead St., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | May 8, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000423 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1928-1950 |
| Architectural style | Early Twentieth Century, Utilitarian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function listed as work in progress; the Crane Company owned and occupied the building until about 1990. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 35.22834, -80.86375 (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 01000423.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19461194
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.