Burgaw Depot
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Why it's listed
Built about 1850 by the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad at Burgaw, this long frame depot at Fremont and Dickinson streets is one of only two known surviving ante bellum depots in North Carolina. The original heavy timber mortise-and-tenon block has exposed interior construction, while a 1898 T-shaped passenger addition to the south and a 1916/17 freight addition to the north were added as rail operations grew. The 1898 waiting rooms were segregated, with separate entrances for white and colored passengers. The railroad was a major supply route for the Confederacy, carrying goods from Wilmington toward Virginia during the Civil War. The town of Burgaw grew around the depot after the company gave the town site to Pender County in 1878. Passenger service ended in the mid-1960s, and the last train passed through town in January 1986.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the depot is one of only two known surviving ante bellum depots in the state and the most important surviving building linked to the early development of Pender County and Burgaw. It is presented as a rare survivor of the railroad's growth, its Civil War role, and the town's founding around the railroad.
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 86001910, listed July 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 102 E. Fremont, Burgaw |
|---|---|
| County | Pender County |
| Listed | July 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001910 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1850; 1898; 1917 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Idle after rail service ended; the document states the depot is idle following the last train through town on 30 January 1986. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Burgaw Historic District |
| Coordinates | 34.55023, -77.92839 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 86001910.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19600623
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.