Shuping's Mill Complex
Why it's listed
Along Dutch Second Creek in Rowan County, North Carolina, stands a rural milling complex begun in 1895 when John Frick established a saw mill and cotton gin on the site. The Shuping family later expanded it, and the two-and-a-half story frame flour and corn mill was built in 1900 with steam power, with a saw mill attached. The complex also includes a 1924-1925 frame house, a springhouse, and a barn. The mill served local farmers for decades, with a post office and a telephone once housed inside. Its significance lies in its representation of the many small mills that once operated across the county before centralized processing took over in the early 1930s. The buildings are regarded as simple vernacular structures that reflect the utilitarian needs of their operations. Three generations of the Shuping family, including James Monroe, William Augustus, and Orlin Perry Shuping, ran the mill. Its survival as the only intact member of its group on the creek is the basis for its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the complex is significant as a surviving example of the rural mills and cotton gins that once served Rowan County's agricultural economy. It is described as the only one of the Dutch Second Creek mills not dismantled or turned into an archaeological site, and its buildings are regarded as straightforward vernacular structures reflecting the utilitarian processes they housed. It is also associated with three generations of the Shuping family who operated milling concerns.
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 82003506, listed September 23, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Faith on NC 152, Faith |
|---|---|
| County | Rowan County |
| Listed | September 23, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003506 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900-1930 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Economics, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Buildings are deteriorated; the 1895 cotton gin house is completely deteriorated and collapsed, and the steam engines were removed in 1975. |
| Acreage | 4.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.55120, -80.48323 (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 82003506.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.