First National Bank Building

  • Also Known As: Lawyers Building

  • Address: 168 - 170 W Main Ave
  • Travel Genus: Sight
  • Sight Category: Building

The First National Bank Building is a seven story high rise located on the north side of West Main Avenue in the heart of downtown Gastonia. It is constructed of cream-colored brick with limestone and terra cotta trim in the Neo-classical architectural style, the preferred mode for office towers in the Carolinas when it was erected in 1916 - 1917. The architectural firm of Wilson and Sompayrac, one of the most distinguished in South Carolina, provided the design. Today, except for changes to the first floor interior and first floor front facade, the building is in good original condition.

The best-preserved elevation today is the rear. It was designed as an exact duplicate of the front, because it faced the railroad tracks that brought most of Gastonia's visitors to town. Throughout the facade the designers used a tripartite theme, making it three bays wide, dividing it horizontally into cornice, body_ and base, and also grouping windows and trim details in threes. - NRHP, 1982


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Craig,J.H.,et al. Significant name
Wilson and Sompayrac Architect
1916/00/00
1917/00/00

Data »

Particulars for First National Bank Building:
Area of Significance Architecture
Criteria Architecture-Engineering
Sight Category Building
Area of Significance Commerce
Area of Significance Economics
Historic Use Financial Institution
Criteria Historic Event
Area of Significance Industry
Architectural Style Neoclassical
Criteria Person
Owner Private
Historic Use Professional



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration: 20th February 1986

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name: First National Bank Building
Registry Address: 168--170 W. Main Ave.
Registry Number: 86000302
Resource Type: Building
Owner: Private
Architect: Wilson and Sompayrac
Architectural Style: Classical revival
Contributing Buildings: 1
Certification: Listed in the National Register
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: Local
Area of Significance: Industry, Commerce, Economics, Architecture
Applicable Criteria: Event, Architecture-Engineering, Person
Period of Significance: 1900-1924
Significant Year: 1916, 1917
Associated People: Craig,J.H.,et al.
Historic Function: Commerce, Trade
Historic Sub-Function: Professional, Financial institution
Current Function: Commerce, Trade, Work in progress
Current Sub-Function: Business

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