Richmond Temperance and Literary Society Hall
Why it's listed
Built in 1860 at Spring Hill near Wagram, this small one-story brick hall served the Richmond Temperance and Literary Society, founded in 1855 by local Highland Scots. Members pledged not to make, sell, buy or use intoxicating drink, and held meetings alternating between debates and readings of members' compositions. The eight-sided building has a hip roof of wood shingles and a finial shaped like an upside-down wine glass resting on a closed Bible. Inside is a single plastered room with recessed bookshelves, a lectern platform and a stove. The ceiling was painted blue, with a star added for each member. Local tradition holds that members fired the bricks nearby and raised the walls themselves. Troops under General Sherman damaged the hall in early 1865. The society met until the 1890s, after which the hall served as a school, then for farm storage. A commission acquired it in 1959 and restored it as a museum. It is valued for its role in the temperance movement and as a modest vernacular example of octagonal design.
Significance in brief: The hall is presented as a historical and architectural landmark. It housed a society that was a moral force in northern Scotland County for over forty years as part of the national temperance movement. It is also a small vernacular version of the octagonal building mode, with a distinctive wine glass and Bible finial.
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 73001368, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 mi. SW of Wagram on SR 1405, Wagram |
|---|---|
| County | Scotland County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001368 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architect / builder | Plumer (lowest bidder for the building contract, per society minutes); local tradition says society members built it |
| Architectural style | Vernacular version of the octagonal mode |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and operated as a museum; condition marked excellent, altered, on its original site. |
| Acreage | 9.5 |
| Coordinates | 34.88710, -79.39310 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 73001368.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q19946157
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.