Massanetta Springs Historic District
Why it's listed
Massanetta Springs is a district of about seventy acres along Massanetta Springs Road and Congers Creek, southeast of Harrisonburg, Virginia. Its centerpiece is a large four-story hotel of 1910, with a mansard-roofed center block and Queen Anne-style brick wings, built by banker James Robert Lupton after he bought the springs in 1909. Nearby are a stone-pillared springhouse and a wooded grove holding the Hudson Memorial Auditorium, an open-air tabernacle begun in 1922, along with a cobblestone Rustic pavilion and a small chapel. On a ridge to the west stands Camp Massanetta, more than two dozen small lodges, bathhouses and cabins erected in 1955-56. The place began as a mineral water resort, with bottled spring water marketed nationwide in the 1880s. After Hampden-Sydney College bought it in 1919, it passed to Presbyterian ownership as a Bible conference center, an association that continues today. Thirty-five resources contribute to the district and ten do not.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · catalog entry. Generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29).
| Styles | Second Empire, Queen Anne, Late Gothic Revival, Rustic, Modern Movement |
|---|---|
| Areas of significance | Religion, Architecture |
| Acreage | 70 |
| Boundary source | NPS cultural-resource GIS polygon |
| Full listing page | Massanetta Springs Historic District (property record) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.