Washburn Historic District
Why it's listed
Washburn Historic District is a crossroads community of about sixty-three acres in east central Rutherford County, near Bostic, built around a general store that has been run by one family since the 1880s. Its centerpiece is the Edgar Nollie Washburn House, a brick Classical Revival residence begun in 1914 and finished in 1915, with a two-story Tuscan portico, slate hipped roof and a center-hall plan with elaborate mantels and oak woodwork. The district also contains a 1925 brick store still used for general merchandise, a funeral business begun in 1928, a Colonial Revival house from 1929, and four frame rental houses built in the 1940s for families and returning veterans. Its significance lies in the architecture of the main house, which is closely comparable to the James Dexter Ledbetter House in Forest City, and in the continuous family mercantile operation that served the farming community for generations.
Significance in brief: The district is significant for its architecture, notably the large Classical Revival house built 1914-1915 that is regarded as one of the most imposing rural residences in the county, and for commerce, as a general store has been operated by the Washburn family at the crossroads since at least the 1880s. The buildings represent the long association of one family with the place and its service to the surrounding agricultural community.
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 02000056, listed February 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2401,2426,2436 Bostic-Sunshine Hwy, 1391,1392 Andrews Mill Rd., 126-156, 157 Salem Church Rd., Bostic |
|---|---|
| County | Rutherford County |
| Listed | February 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000056 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1914-1950 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival; Colonial Revival; Period Cottage |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 63 |
| Coordinates | 35.39240, -81.81523 (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 02000056.
- 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.