Bank of Onslow and Jacksonville Masonic Temple
Why it's listed
Two neighboring brick buildings on Old Bridge Street, across from the Onslow County courthouse square, form this small downtown Jacksonville district. The Bank of Onslow, built around 1916, has a monumental Beaux Arts facade with giant pilasters, a heavy cornice and decorative brickwork. Next door, the 1919 Jacksonville Masonic Temple is a Tudor Revival building with crenelations, lancet arches, concrete sculpture and octagonal turrets. Wilmington architect Henry E. Bonitz designed the temple, and Crumpler Brothers of Warsaw built it. He may also have designed the bank. The bank, founded in 1904 as Jacksonville's first, sold its building in 1937 to First Citizens Bank and Trust Company. The temple housed LaFayette Lodge No. 83, other fraternal groups, lawyers and a retail store until the lodge defaulted in 1941. Both buildings are listed for their architectural quality and their role in the town's commercial and social history.
Significance in brief: The two buildings are among the most architecturally sophisticated commercial buildings erected in Onslow County in the early twentieth century (Criterion C). They are also tied to the commercial and social history of Jacksonville before World War II (Criterion A). Wilmington architect Henry E. Bonitz designed the Masonic Temple and may have designed the bank.
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 89001850, listed November 13, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 214--216 Old Bridge St., Jacksonville |
|---|---|
| County | Onslow County |
| Listed | November 13, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001850 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1916-1939 |
| Architect / builder | Bonitz, Henry E., architect; Crumpler Brothers, builders |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts; Tudor Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The bank's first floor houses county offices, and its second and third floors are vacant. In the Masonic Temple the second floor holds county juvenile probation offices, and the first and third floors are vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 34.75065, -77.43131 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 89001850.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4856169
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.