National Register of Historic Places

Southern Railway Spencer Shops

Spencer, Rowan County, North Carolina
Listed
March 17, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78001972

About this property

The Southern Railway Spencer Shops are a former locomotive repair facility in Spencer, North Carolina. The shops were one of the Southern Railway's primary maintenance facilities. The shops were built in the 1890s and named after Southern Railway president Samuel Spencer. Following dieselization, the need for the Spencer Shops diminished, and the facilities were decommissioned in the 1970s. The Spencer Shops and associated land were donated by the Southern Railway to the state of North Carolina, which established the North Carolina Transportation Museum on the site.

Location

Spencer, Rowan County, North Carolina
35.68755, -80.43398

Categories

INDUSTRYTRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNICATIONS
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Southern Railway Spencer Shops

This page lists Southern Railway Spencer Shops. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Southern Railway Passenger Car Number 1211
Pre Contact
0.2 mi
East Spencer Graded School
Industrial
0.3 mi
Spencer Historic District
Listed
0.4 mi
Long, Alexander, House
Early Republic
1.3 mi
North Main Street Historic District
Listed
1.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Stoneman's Raid — Salisbury NC
1865Civil War
2.5 mi
Stoneman's Raid — Salisbury Prison Camp Raid
1865Civil War
2.7 mi
Stoneman's Raid — Lexington NC
1865Civil War
13.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Southern Railway Spencer Shops listed on the National Register?

Southern Railway Spencer Shops was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Southern Railway Spencer Shops?

Southern Railway Spencer Shops is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Southern Railway Spencer Shops?

The period of significance for Southern Railway Spencer Shops is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Southern Railway Spencer Shops?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Southern Railway Spencer Shops will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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