Randall Memorial Building, Former
Also known as: Village Cafe
Why it's listed
Completed in the fall of 1907 in Blowing Rock, this weatherboarded cottage was built by the local Episcopal congregation as a workshop where mountain people could weave, spin, make basketry and woodwork, and sell their goods to tourists and out-of-state buyers. The Rev. William Rutherford Savage, the Episcopal priest, organized the workshop and acted as a wholesaler, taking products on consignment and running a mail-order trade in galax leaves. The one and one-half story building has a steep gable roof, a hip-roofed west wing, and an entrance porch with shingled gables. A kitchen addition of about 1920 extended the east end. The Episcopal Diocese sold the building in 1936 to the Blowing Rock Community Club, which used it as a civic hall and lending library. A one-room Girl Scout hut was built beside it in 1938. The building is regarded as virtually unchanged on the exterior, and its interior was adapted for a restaurant in 1990.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criteria A and C. Under Criterion A it represents local efforts to improve the economic conditions of mountain people through the sale of handicrafts. Under Criterion C it is valued for its architecture, a weatherboarded cottage with a steep gable roof and a hip-roofed wing. The building has served as a workshop, library, social club and residence and is described as virtually unchanged on the exterior.
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 91000263, listed March 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Greenway Ct., Blowing Rock |
|---|---|
| County | Watauga County |
| Listed | March 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000263 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1940 |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Repaired and adapted for use as the Village Cafe, a restaurant; the interior was modified in 1990. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 36.13194, -81.67764 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 91000263.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20745485
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.