Galax Commericial Historic District

Downtown Galax, Virginia, was platted in 1903 as a twenty-six-block gridiron straddling the Grayson and Carroll county line. With no county seat function, the town had no public square, so commerce shaped the streetscape. The historic district follows Main Street and the cross streets of Center, Grayson, Carroll and Oldtown. It holds dozens of masonry buildings with shed roofs and storefronts, most of them two stories with offices or apartments above. Most date from the 1920s and show simple brick facades with recessed parapet panels and corbeled cornices. Notable examples include the 1904 Waugh Department Store, the circa 1920 Italian Revival fire station, the Colonial Theater, and the Art Deco Rex Theater with its original marquee. Later changes include modern facades added in the mid-twentieth century, yet the area keeps its commercial feel. Growth followed the town's rise, then slowed as businesses moved to shopping centers after the interstate and highway expansion. Today the district serves as a specialty retail and professional center.