Mount Olive High School (Former)
Why it's listed
Completed in September 1925 on the west edge of Mount Olive, this three-story brick school was designed by Goldsboro architect John David Gullett and built by B.R. Lucas and Company of Raeford. Its T-shaped plan joins a classroom wing to a gable-front auditorium, with multicolored tapestry brick, terra cotta signage, and cast stone details. The school opened on September 7, 1925, serving as the town's public high school until 1965, when students moved to Southern Wayne High School. Its significance rests on its role in the 1920s consolidation of rural schools in North Carolina and on its status as one of Wayne County's most elaborate Classical Revival public schools. It is also Gullett's largest surviving Wayne County school. A 1945-1946 cafeteria is its only exterior addition. After demolition plans in 1997, the Mount Olive Area Historical Society sought to save it, and the Wayne County Board of Education transferred the building and about two acres to the town in January 1998.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is one of Wayne County's best examples of a Classical Revival public school, with exterior decoration and size unmatched by most other 1920s consolidated schools in the county. It is associated with the early twentieth-century consolidation of rural schools into larger local schools. It is also presented as Gullett's largest and best-designed Wayne County public school.
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 98001266, listed October 22, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 100 Wooten St., Mount Olive |
|---|---|
| County | Wayne County |
| Listed | October 22, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001266 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Gullett, John David (architect); Lucas, B.R. (builder) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant in part; the ground floor is used by Mount Olive Elementary School for classrooms and band practice, and the auditorium hosts local events; the building was rescued from demolition in 1998 and rezoned for residential use. |
| Acreage | 2.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.20043, -78.07278 (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 98001266.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679813
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.