King Lumber Company Warehouse
Why it's listed
Rising three storeys on Preston Avenue in Charlottesville, this brick warehouse dates to 1909 and is the last remaining piece of the King Lumber Company. W. W. King bought the lot in 1899 and later transferred it to the company, of which he was president. The company made building materials used across the country, including in buildings at the University of Virginia, and by 1920 was the city's largest employer, with over 300 workers. It went out of business by the 1930s, and the property was sold in 1933. Later owners used the building for storing plumbing and heating supplies. The vernacular structure has stepped gables, corbeled cornice stops, brick laid in American bond, a low-pitched metal roof, segmental-arched openings and a wheel window in the gable end. Its significance rests on its link to one of the city's principal early twentieth-century industries.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the only surviving part of the King Lumber Company, one of Charlottesville's principal industries in the early 20th century. The company made building materials used across the United States, including at the University of Virginia, and by 1920 was the city's largest employer. The building also has vernacular stepped gables and corbeled cornice stops.
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 83003269, listed August 10, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 608 Preston Ave., Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | August 10, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003269 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition and still used as a warehouse at the time of the 1980 survey; upper-level warehouse doors and all windows have been bricked or boarded up. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 38.03500, -78.48620 (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 83003269.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15238529
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.