Carlin's Amoco Station
Also known as: Vdhr# 128-6389
Why it's listed
At 1721 Williamson Road NE in Roanoke, a small stucco-covered concrete block building recalls the heyday of the roadside gas station. Built about 1947 as a plain rectangular "ice-box" station with large display windows and two service bays, it was remodeled about 1953 as part of Amoco's effort to standardize its stations nationwide. The remodeling added rounded corners and a projecting metal entrance pylon, date-stamped 1953, with vertical strips of glass block backlit by green neon. Behind it stands a ca. 1947 concrete block repair shop, which is unusual among Roanoke's surviving Amoco stations. The station's interior plan and most original finishes survive. It matters because it shows both a corporate design update credited to Amoco designer George W. Terp and the growth of Williamson Road, the old route of US 11, as the city's leading corridor for automobile services. The gas station is now vacant, while the repair shop remains in use.
Significance in brief: The station is an example of an early "ice-box" gas station later updated to Amoco's "stylized-box" prototype, with rounded corners and a projecting entrance pylon of glass block and neon. It also illustrates how Williamson Road (Route 11) became Roanoke's main automobile-oriented commercial corridor. The interior plan and finishes remain largely intact, and the ca. 1947 repair shop is unique among Roanoke's surviving Amoco stations.
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 12000968, listed November 20, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1721 Williamson Rd. NE., Roanoke (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | November 20, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000968 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1947-1962 |
| Architect / builder | Terp, George W. |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement: Streamlined Moderne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The gas station building is vacant and fenced for security; the repair shop is still used as a repair shop. The pumps and pump island have been removed. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.29006, -79.93336 (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 12000968.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16852197
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.