Mountain Road Historic District (Boundary Increase)

Mountain Road in the town of Halifax, Virginia, is a half-mile stretch of tree-shaded street west of the county courthouse, lined with about thirty buildings. The oldest are the 1828 Masonic Lodge and the 1831 church now used by the Methodist congregation, both late Federal in design. St. John's Episcopal Church followed in 1844, built in Greek Revival style by Dabney Cosby, Jr., who also built three fine brick houses on the road: Magnolia Hill, Grand Oaks and the rectory. His father worked under Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia and built the county courthouse. Building paused after the 1850s, then resumed in the 1880s with Queen Anne and Eastlake houses, followed by Colonial Revival and bungalow dwellings in the early 20th century. Large lawns, old trees and shrubs, some planted in the mid-19th century, give the street a park-like setting. The district was recognized for this combination of architecture and preserved landscape.