Heritage Village of Dallas Park
Historic Buildings
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places is the downtown area of Dallas, NC. The center of Dallas features the Old Gaston County Courthouse, the Gaston County Museum, the Old Jail, and other buildings surrounding the court square. Walking tours of the square are available at Gaston County Museum. The Hoffman Hotel was built in 1852 by Daniel Hoffman. The hotel was built to provide food and lodging to visitors, jurors, and court officials who frequented the Gaston County Courthouse. The hotel was built in the Greek Revival style which was very fashionable at the time of its construction, and was inspired by the renewed interest in ancient Greek architecture. The Carolina Northwestern Train Depot was built in 1903. It was originally located a few blocks south of the Gaston County Museum on Main Street between Rhyne St. and College St. The depot was moved to its current location in 1977 to be used as an art center. Later, it served as a design shop for museum exhibits, before undergoing an extensive renovation in July of 2009, bringing it to its present condition. The depot was donated to the Gaston County Museum by L.D. Guess, a former stationmaster in Dallas, who purchased the depot when railroad officials decided to shut down the Dallas office and made plans to demolish the structure. In 1848 the Gaston County Jail was completed by Abraham Mauney and his slave workers, and Benjamin Morris became the county’s first sheriff. In the 19th century, it was customary for the sheriff and his family to live in the jail, so they occupied the lower floors while the prisoner’s jail cells were located on the second floor. It was expected that the sheriff’s wife and family would do the cooking, cleaning, and laundry for the prisoners. During 1857, the courthouse opened in the "Publick Square." Here the county business and entertainment was conducted, and you could hear trial testimony and the latest music from traveling performers and singers. In 1874, architectural changes were made after a fire. The fence posts that surround the court square and the granite stairs were fashioned by John Campo, a Union soldier who made Dallas his home.
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Dallas, NC, USA
MORE THINGS TO DO
In Gaston County, NC
