Old Penick-Hughes Company
Also known as: Thompson Hardware
.jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
Rising three stories above the square in downtown Stamford, this brick building at 100-106 E. Hamilton was constructed in 1909 and 1910 for the Penick-Hughes Company. Measuring 75 by 165 feet with a basement, it held the firm's general offices along with wholesale and retail departments for hardware, farm implements and furniture, all linked by an internal telephone network. The company began with a small Stamford store in 1899 and moved its headquarters from Anson. Partner R.L. Penick became a civic leader and served as mayor. Stone string courses, arched second-floor windows, a dentil cornice, pressed-metal ceilings and Luxor sidewalk prisms mark the structure. The north storefronts have been altered, and the upper windows are boarded up, but the building remains largely original. Locals still call it the old Penick building. It was listed for its role in commerce, as a reminder of one of Stamford's most successful businesses during the town's era of growth.
Significance in brief: The building is significant at the local level for commerce. It housed the Penick-Hughes Company, a wholesale and retail hardware business that was one of Stamford's earliest and most successful enterprises during the town's growth. It remains a downtown landmark despite alterations to the first-floor storefront.
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 86002354, listed September 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 100--106 E. Hamilton, Stamford |
|---|---|
| County | Jones County |
| Listed | September 24, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002354 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as altered, in fair condition, boarded up and vacant, though little changed from the original. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.94399, -99.80291 (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 86002354.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q107320146
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.