Morse and Wade Building
Also known as: Yadkin Valley Hotel
Why it's listed
Standing at the southeast corner of East Main and Pauling streets in East Bend, this two-story brick building dates to about 1890. Thomas Evan Morse bought the lot in 1888 and partnered with his brother-in-law Otis Wade. The west half housed the Morse and Wade general store, which also served as a trading center, telephone site and, from 1903 to 1914, the post office. The east half held the Yadkin Valley Hotel. Around 1903 the partners turned the building to industry, making small cloth tobacco bags. Sewing took place on the second floor, and the bags were finished by area women in their homes. Production continued until 1940. The building has segmental-arched openings, pilasters and a corbeled cornice, and the painted words Hotel and Morse & Wade remain visible. Its store display windows and wall shelving survive. Although the interior has deteriorated, the exterior is exceptionally well preserved, which supports its listing for commerce, industry and architecture.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to commerce and industry in East Bend and Yadkin County. It housed a general store, a hotel, a post office, and later a tobacco sack factory. Its well-preserved brick exterior is also described as one of the best examples of its type and period in the county.
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 05000269, listed April 6, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 100 E. Main St., East Bend |
|---|---|
| County | Yadkin County |
| Listed | April 6, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1890-1940 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant; the interior, especially the east half, is deteriorated with collapsed floors and ceilings, while the brick exterior is exceptionally well preserved. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.21643, -80.50725 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q24436325
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.