Merchants and Farmers National Bank Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1871-1872 on East Trade Street in Charlotte, this three-story brick building was constructed as the home of the Merchants and Farmers National Bank. It is considered the oldest surviving commercial building in the city's central business district. The stuccoed front is Italianate in style, with a cast iron cornice, quoins and window lintels and sills produced by the Mecklenburg Iron Works, believed to be the oldest surviving example of locally made architectural ironwork. The ground-floor storefront was replaced in the early 1950s, but the upper floors keep original mantels, trim and partitions. The third floor served as an Odd Fellows hall from 1875 to 1914, and mystic lodge symbols remain painted on its walls. The bank was Charlotte's second largest from the 1870s through 1910 and occupied the building until 1921. Its closure came during the 1933 bank holiday. The building matters for its link to the city's postwar growth, its local ironwork and its well-preserved upper stories.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest surviving commercial building in Charlotte's central business district and retains notable integrity on its upper floors. Its ironwork came from the Mecklenburg Iron Works and is believed to be the oldest surviving locally produced architectural ironwork. The bank was Charlotte's second largest from the 1870s to 1910, and the third floor housed an Odd Fellows lodge hall from 1875 to 1914.
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 84002344, listed March 1, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 123 E. Trade St., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | March 1, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002344 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ground floor altered in the early 1950s; second and third floors described as vacant for many years; the first floor was rented to a shoe store at the time of the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.22669, -80.84199 (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 84002344.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19987087
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.