Zollicoffer's Law Office
Why it's listed
Built about 1887 on Henderson's main business street, this two-story brick law office is one of the few Victorian commercial buildings still standing intact along Garnett Street. Its restrained Italianate design includes segmental-arched openings, nine-over-nine windows, brick pilaster strips framing a recessed panel, and a wooden porch with chamfered posts and sawn brackets. A bracketed cornice with dentils and incised frieze panels crowns the front. The interior has been remodeled, and a 1926 addition and later rear extensions sit behind the original block. Attorney A. C. Zollicoffer, who arrived in Henderson in 1881, bought the lot in 1887, two years after a great fire destroyed much of downtown. He became a prominent lawyer, businessman, and state senator. The building reflects the town's post-Civil War growth as a county seat and trade center, and it has housed Zollicoffer family attorneys ever since.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the best preserved reminders of Henderson's post-Civil War prosperity and a rare surviving Victorian commercial building along the main business street. It is tied to the town's growth as a county seat and trade center, and to A. C. Zollicoffer, a prominent lawyer, businessman and state senator. It is also notable for its largely unaltered exterior and continuous use by the same family's law practice.
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 78001975, listed June 13, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 215 N. Garnett St., Henderson |
|---|---|
| County | Vance County |
| Listed | June 13, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001975 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Victorian commercial architecture of restrained Italianate character |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Law, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent; the building remains in use as a family law office, with a 1926 rear addition and later extensions, and a thoroughly remodeled interior. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Henderson Central Business Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.32830, -78.40135 (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 78001975.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679866
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.