Greer, R. T., and Company
Also known as: Herb House; File #119-5001
Why it's listed
Built in 1916 on Pendleton Street in Marion, Virginia, this three-story brick building served as the warehouse and office of R. T. Greer & Company, a dealer in medicinal herbs. Local craftsmen built it: Cooley Brothers, African-American brick masons, laid the load-bearing walls, B. B. Johnston framed it in oak post and beam, and T. K. Sayers did the grading and cement work. Original oak plank floors, window sash, a grain elevator and an early herb grinder survive, and a 1936 drying room addition was attached at the rear. The company bought roots, herbs, barks, berries and later furs from mountain families and shipped them to pharmaceutical firms in the United States and overseas. By 1928 it was described as the largest botanical herb dealer in the nation, and its purchases helped families through the Great Depression. The business declined after World War II and the building sat empty from 1968 to 1992. It reopened in 1993 as a shop and herb education center.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues state-level significance under Criterion A for the building's role in Appalachian commerce as a center for buying, processing and selling herbs, roots, barks and berries. The firm shipped to pharmaceutical houses across the United States and abroad and became the largest botanical herb dealer in the nation by 1928. The business also provided income to mountain families during the Great Depression.
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 97000481, listed May 23, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 107 Pendleton St., Marion |
|---|---|
| County | Smyth County |
| Listed | May 23, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000481 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1916-1946 |
| Architect / builder | Johnston, B. B., Carpenter; Cooley Bros., Brickwork; Sayers, T. K., Cementwork & Grading |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements: Commercial style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Empty from 1968 through 1992; reopened in July 1993 as the Herb House, selling local crafts and herbs and offering herb classes. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 36.83394, -81.51569 (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 97000481.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891894
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.