Wilkesboro-Smithey Hotel
Also known as: Smithey Hotel or Smithey's Department Store
Why it's listed
Built in 1891 at the northeast corner of Broad and E. Main Streets, this three-story brick building faces Courthouse Square in downtown Wilkesboro. It replaced earlier wooden hotels on the same site and was financed by the Wilkesboro Hotel Company. Its Broad Street facade is nine bays wide, with a deeply corbeled cornice, narrow brick pilasters, segmental-arched windows with hood molds, and cast iron pilasters stamped by Mesker Bros. of St. Louis. A two-story gallery wraps most of the exterior. After the hotel company failed, Nikeard Bruce Smithey bought the building in 1906, ran the hotel, and opened a dry goods store on the first floor. That store grew into a chain of seventeen stores in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. The hotel also served as a local gathering place, with lawyers and judges dining there during court sessions. The building was recognized for its role in local commerce, its link to Smithey, and its well-preserved architecture.
Significance in brief: It was the most prominent hotel in the county seat for over half a century and housed the first store of N. B. Smithey's multi-million-dollar department store chain. It is also presented as an excellent, well-preserved example of late nineteenth century small town commercial architecture.
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 82003529, listed August 24, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Broad and E. Main Sts., Wilkesboro |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | August 24, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003529 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architectural style | Late nineteenth century commercial architecture |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; the first floor continues in use as Smithey's Department Store, while the upper floors remain relatively intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Wilkesboro Historic District |
| Coordinates | 36.14873, -81.15093 (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 82003529.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436317
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.