Giddens, L. D., and Son Jewelry Store
Why it's listed
Jewelry has been sold at 135 South Center Street in Goldsboro since 1859, when Louis Devereaux Giddens took over an existing shop in a brick building probably dating from the 1840s. The business is described as the oldest continuous one in the city and possibly the oldest jewelry store in North Carolina. The facade combines red brick, large glass display windows, a leaded glass transom bearing the Giddens name, and cast-iron pilasters and cornice added in renovations around 1870, 1926 and 1959. At the curb stands a wooden-post street clock erected in 1877 and electrified in 1924, believed to be the last of its type in the state. Inside, mahogany show tables and wall cases remain. The store survived a 1948 fire next door, and it has passed through the Giddens family and their descendants. The listing recognizes its role in Goldsboro's commerce, its family continuity and its cast-iron architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest continuous business in Goldsboro and possibly the oldest jewelry store in North Carolina. Its facade keeps cast-iron ornamentation typical of nineteenth-century commercial architecture. A freestanding street clock erected in 1877 is believed to be the last of its kind in the state. The store is also tied to the Giddens family, early Goldsboro settlers who kept the business for several generations.
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 79001763, listed March 19, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 135 S. Center St., Goldsboro |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | March 19, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001763 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Nineteenth-century commercial architecture with cast-iron facade elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as occupied, in good condition and altered; the store remained in business at the time of nomination, with the second floor used for storage. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.38243, -83.99828 (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 79001763.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708757
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.