Bellevue Manufacturing Company
Why it's listed
West Hillsborough's Bellevue Manufacturing Company is a brick textile mill built circa 1909 beside the railroad near Nash Street. Its two-story main block has load-bearing brick walls, wood plank floors and a basilica-type plan typical of slow-burn construction. Additions in 1920 brought a weaving room with a roof monitor, and in 1923 J. E. Sirrine extended the mill west and built a cloth building, creating a U-shaped complex. The company was founded by local entrepreneur Shepperd Strudwick, who was its president for twenty-five years. The mill was the second textile mill in Hillsborough, and together with the nearby Eno Cotton Mill and worker housing it formed the industrial core of West Hillsborough. It is regarded as an important example of the town's industrial growth in the early twentieth century, and its original brick walls and window fabric remain largely intact.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the mill is significant for its role in the industrial development of Hillsborough as one of two historic textile mills in the town. It retains architectural integrity from its period of significance and reflects slow-burn mill construction and the growth of the local textile economy.
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 03000858, listed August 28, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Nash St. and Eno St., Hillsborough |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | August 28, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000858 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Architect of the original mill unknown; J. E. Sirrine (1923 addition); Richard Biberstein (machinery layout and 1920 weaving room) |
| Architectural style | Slow-burn industrial construction; classicizing engine and boiler room facades |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Retains integrity from its period of significance; the 1960s infill enclosed the center of the complex. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Within district | Hillsborough Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.07309, -79.11113 (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 03000858.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19600417
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.