What happens when a historic structure is destroyed?

A fire in Kernersville consumed the electric company Caudill’s on Saturday night. The building, constructed in the late 1800s, was on the National Register of Historic Places.

When it was built in 1897, it was known as the Harmon-Reid Mill. Added to the National Register in 1988, it was described as the finest industrial building in Kernersville. It’s also singled out as one of only a few Second Empire industrial buildings in the state. It featured a mansard roof, which means steep slopes on all sides.

Town of Kernersville Community Development Director Catherine Garner says while it’s always sad when a historic building is destroyed, it’s not something that would automatically remove it from the National Register.

"Because the National Register is an honorary list of historic properties that recognizes their significance in our community," she says. "In this case, the Caudill’s electric building is not a local landmark, so there's no requirement for them to get any sort of permits from the Forsyth County Historic Resources Commission."

Garner says the building owners will likely work with her office to figure out how they’re going to either rebuild using the remaining structure or seek demolition and reconstruction. The National Register would then be updated to recognize that the structure had been lost.