Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Company Office Building
Why it's listed
Begun in 1861 for the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, this office building at 325 Halifax Street in Raleigh grew in stages while keeping a unified look. The main block is three stories of white-painted brick with segmental arched windows, a deck-on-hip roof, and a cornice with paired wooden brackets. Ornamental cast iron verandahs with Tuscan colonnettes run along the front and back. A third story was added in 1891, a south wing was built in 1886, and that wing was raised and lengthened in the early 1940s, when the interior was also remodeled. The railroad later became part of the Seaboard Air Line and then the Seaboard Coast Line, which still occupied the building at the time of nomination. Having served railroad administration for over a century, it is described as one of the oldest commercial structures in North Carolina still used for its original purpose, and it reflects the growth of regional commerce and transportation.
Significance in brief: The building has been used for railroad administration for over one hundred years, making it one of the oldest commercial structures in North Carolina still serving its original function. Its stylistically consistent additions and architectural adaptations are cited as important to understanding commerce and transportation in the eastern United States.
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 71000626, listed May 6, 1971. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Wilmington St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | May 6, 1971 |
| Reference number | 71000626 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, altered, and occupied; the railroad company still used it at nomination. Later letters state it was to be moved one block northwest to Salisbury Street in 1976 because of state government mall clearance, and the new site was approved. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Within district | Oakwood Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.78598, -78.64529 (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 71000626.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7286954
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.