Spruce Pine in Mitchell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Crystal Palace
Photographed by Mark Parker, September 28, 2025
1. Crystal Palace Marker
is listed in the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Erected by United States Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1937.
Location. 35° 54.959′ N, 82° 4.167′ W. Marker is in Spruce Pine, North Carolina, in Mitchell County. It is on Crystal Street north of Locust Street, on the right when traveling north. The marker is under the porch entrance to the left. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29 Crystal Street, Spruce Pine NC 28777, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s and he Mountains in the High Country. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation, the territory of the Mississippian Culture,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Spruce Pine Store Company (a few steps from this marker); Near This Point (within shouting distance of this marker); Penland School (approx. 3.1 miles away); Sounds From the Mountains (approx. 3.8 miles away); The Loops (approx. 3.8 miles away); First Mountain Parkway (approx. 4 miles away); Gillespie Gap (approx. 4.4 miles away); "The Blackwater Men Had Come Over the Mountain" (approx. 4.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spruce Pine.
Regarding Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace is a contributing building to the Downtown Spruce Pine Historic District. Excerpt from the Downtown Spruce Pine Historic District Nomination Form #03000855 (page 12):
Three-story random coursed micaeous biotite stone commercial building originally built as three stories, with a fourth story set back from the original elevations on three sides added soon after. This is said to have been a penthouse. This story has recentlybeen stuccoed. Stone pilasters divide the three-bay facade. The center entrance is recessed within a segmental arch with "Crystal Place" sign above. Original tripartite storefront display windows with transoms flank the entrance. Original upper level windows are double one-over-one wood sashes. All have soldier course stone lintels and sills. Built by mica industrialist Charles Gunter, who also built the Gunter Building on Oak Avenue, the building remained in the ownership of the Gunter family until 1976. Local stonemasons Dave Greene and Charlie Mitchell built this building of locally quarried stone. Retail stores occupied the first floor of this building, including a barber shop, a beauty shop, a restaurant known as Happy Home Dining Room, and "Doc" White's Music Store. The Bureau of Public Roads had an office in the building in 1938.Photographed by Mark Parker, September 28, 20252. Crystal Palace sign above the entrance. Marker is to the left of the door.
Also see . . . Downtown Spruce Pine Historic District. Form prepared by Sybil Arqintar Bowers, Preseryation Planning Consultant, Bowers Southeastern Preservation, Asheville, NC, 2003 (Submitted on October 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina.)
Photographed by Mark Parker, September 28, 2025
3. Full view of Crystal Palace building
Credits. This page was last revised on October 2, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 62 times since then and 27 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 1, 2025, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
