Armstrong Knitting Factory
Why it's listed
Armstrong Knitting Factory at 700 Harris Street, Charlottesville, is a two-story brick industrial building put up in 1889-90. The Charlottesville Industrial and Land Improvement Co. erected it and conveyed it to James and James A. Armstrong, who agreed to make knit goods there and employ sixty to seventy workers. The rectangular block has a very low hipped roof and a deep wooden cornice. A central entrance tower rises one story higher, topped by a square mansard roof with dormers and an iron filigree railing. Pilasters divide the side walls into recessed bays with nine-over-nine windows. Later owners included the H.C. Marchant Manufacturing Co., Charlottesville Silk Mills, Amalgamated Silk and S & R Silk Mills, and painted silk mill signs are still visible. The building has stayed in industrial use throughout. It is listed as one of only three or four local examples of the Second Empire style and as an impressive 19th century industrial building.
Significance in brief: The survey form describes it as one of only three or four buildings in the area in the Second Empire style and a very impressive 19th century industrial building. It has been in continuous industrial use since the Armstrong Knitting Co.
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) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82001798, listed October 21, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 700 Harris St., Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | October 21, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001798 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889-90 |
| Architect / builder | Erected by the Charlottesville Industrial and Land Improvement Co. |
| Architectural style | Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in very good condition; present use is industrial warehouse, with numerous additions made over time. |
| Acreage | 3.1 |
| Coordinates | 38.03577, -78.48412 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82001798.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15189029
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.