Manufacturers Building
Why it's listed
Built about 1904 on East Washington Street in Rockingham, this two-story brick building served as the common headquarters for five textile corporations: Pee Dee Manufacturing Company, Steele's Mills, Roberdel Mills, Midway Mills, and Hannah Pickett Mills. The front elevation is faced in cream-colored brick with quoins, a modillion cornice, and a balustrade above a slate-covered hipped roof. Inside, a center hall is lined with offices on the first floor, including two brick vaults that still hold mill safes. The second floor held a meeting and counting room and a ballroom used for civic and social events. For roughly three decades, decisions on wages, prices, and working standards for the county's mills were made here. The Steele family, led by Robert L. Steele, Sr., and his son Robert Jr., linked the companies. Mill offices moved out in the 1920s and 1930s, and the building was sold in 1937. Later tenants included medical offices, a radio station, and shops.
Significance in brief: The building housed the administrative offices of five major Richmond County textile corporations from 1904 until the mid-1930s. Decisions on wages, prices, and operations for the county's dominant industry were made there. It is also tied to the Steele, Cole and Leake families, who developed the textile industry and influenced local politics and business.
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 79003348, listed May 29, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 220 E. Washington St., Rockingham |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | May 29, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003348 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition and altered. The owner intends to restore the building and lease office space. Offices were rented to various businesses after 1937. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 34.93940, -79.77280 (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 79003348.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19986929
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.