Danville Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Vdhr# 108-0056
Why it's listed
Danville's historic district covers roughly 110 acres around Main Street and West Main Street, with quieter residential streets to the east. It contains houses, churches, a hospital and a college, built from the early nineteenth century through the early twentieth century. Two early houses, at 770 Main Street and 225 Jefferson Avenue, are probably the city's oldest. The district is notable for Victorian and Edwardian architecture, including Italianate, Gothic Revival, Romanesque, Eastlake, Queen Anne and Beaux Arts examples. Much of it was built when Danville prospered from tobacco auctions and textile mills while the rest of Virginia struggled after the Civil War. The Penn-Wyatt house of 1876 at 862 Main Street and the Schoolfield-Compson House at 844 Main Street reflect that wealth. The Sutherlin Mansion, the last official residence of Jefferson Davis in 1865, anchors the area. Buildings are mostly two to two and a half stories, and many homes remain lived in by the builders' families. Historic district zoning now protects the area.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to hold one of the finest and most concentrated collections of Victorian and Edwardian residential architecture in Virginia, including rare Southern examples of High Victorian and Beaux Arts styles. Its mansions reflect late nineteenth-century prosperity from the tobacco trade and the textile industry, which stayed strong while much of Virginia suffered economic depression.
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). NRHP reference 15000547, listed August 24, 2015. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jefferson Ave., Chestnut Pl., Grove, Chambers, 100 blks. Ross & Holbrook Sts., Danville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Danville |
| Listed | August 24, 2015 |
| Reference number | 15000547 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Wide range from Greek Revival and Gothic Revival through Italianate, Romanesque, Eastlake, Queen Anne and Beaux Arts Classicism |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as good; structures and environment are mostly excellent, with deficient areas on Green Street, part of Pine Street and a strip of Jefferson Avenue. Protected by historic district zoning. |
| Acreage | 21 |
| Within district | Danville Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 36.58468, -79.40044 (NPS GIS) |
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.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 15000547.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.