First National Bank
Also known as: People's Federal Building; Liberty Trust Co.
Why it's listed
Rising seven stories at the corner of South Jefferson Street and Salem Avenue in downtown Roanoke, this bank and office building was completed in 1910 from designs by Norfolk architect John Kevan Peebles. Its first two stories are North Carolina granite, with buff brick above and a terra cotta cornice. Roman Ionic marble columns frame the entrance, and Doric columns in the banking hall derive from the Temple of Apollo at Delos. A local newspaper called it a "Temple of Finance." When built, it was the most advanced fireproof structure in Roanoke, with electric elevators, modern plumbing and steam heat. It served the First National Bank, the first bank founded in Roanoke after its 1882 charter, created to handle the financial business of the Shenandoah Valley Railroad. The bank grew alongside the city until a 1926 merger, and later owners included a trust company and a savings and loan. The banking hall survives with few alterations, and the building was vacant when nominated.
Significance in brief: The building is the work of Peebles, a leading early 20th-century Virginia architect, and reflects the most modern bank, office and fireproofing design of its day. It housed the first bank founded in Roanoke after its 1882 charter, a bank whose growth paralleled the city's rise as a financial and industrial center. Its banking hall is one of the best-preserved of its era in the state.
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 82004591, listed June 14, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 101 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | June 14, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004591 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910 |
| Architect / builder | John Kevan Peebles |
| Architectural style | French Renaissance influence with Beaux Arts classicism |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Banking hall in excellent state of preservation; building vacant at time of nomination, with plans to return it to bank and office use. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Roanoke Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.27224, -79.94090 (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 82004591.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16836959
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.