Citizens Bank Building
Also known as: Yancey County Public Library Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1925 on the south side of Town Square in Burnsville, this yellow brick building was designed for the Citizens Bank of Yancey County and is the town's only high-style structure. Its Renaissance Revival design features monumental pilasters with simplified Corinthian capitals, tall round arches with granite keystones, a granite entablature and a plainer top story. Inside, ornate plaster ceiling medallions, a classical frieze and an elaborate vault doorway survive, and library shelving was installed without touching the decorated walls. The bank was organized in 1908, when lumber and mica mining were bringing prosperity to the county, and it built this larger, more stylish home in 1925. After the bank closed in 1932, Northwestern Bank bought the building in 1937 and used it for banking until donating it to the county in 1972 for use as a public library. It is recognized for its architecture and for what it shows about local commercial growth.
Significance in brief: It is Burnsville's only high-style building and its only commercial building in the Renaissance Revival style, dating from western North Carolina's 1920s boom years. It also reflects the commercial growth of Yancey County from its construction in 1925 until the Citizens Bank closed in 1932 during the Depression. Its well-preserved interior plasterwork adds to its architectural value.
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 90000545, listed March 29, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Town Sq., Burnsville |
|---|---|
| County | Yancey County |
| Listed | March 29, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000545 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1925-32 |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as the Yancey County Public Library; the bank closed in 1932 and the county received the building in 1972. Original double doors have been replaced, but interior plasterwork is well maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.91678, -82.29993 (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 90000545.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20708660
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.