Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Two neighboring two-story brick commercial buildings at 209 and 215 Main Street in Danville, Virginia, were added to the Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential Historic District. Both are thought to date to the late nineteenth century, but their most visible features come from a circa 1920 remodeling that gave them Georgian Revival and Craftsman facades with textured brick, concrete, and terra-cotta ornament. The rear elevations were altered in the early 1970s when Patton Street was realigned, and a rear facade was added to 215 Main in 2008. Early maps show the lots belonged to Pickett Scott, an African American businessman who settled in Danville after the Civil War. Uses over time included a general store, grocery, barber shop, billiard parlor, rooming house, and funeral home. Jacob Silverman, a clothier, acquired the buildings in 1920 and 1936. They were included because they reflect the commercial growth of the district and match nearby commercial buildings.
Significance in brief: The buildings relate to the commercial development of Danville's tobacco warehouse district and resemble other commercial buildings on adjacent streets in the district. Their ca. 1920 Georgian Revival/Craftsman facades illustrate the architecture of the period. They were first owned by Pickett Scott, an African American businessman, and later by Jacob Silverman, a clothier from Danville's Jewish mercantile community.
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 09000334, listed May 21, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 209 and 215 Main St., Danville |
|---|---|
| County | Danville |
| Listed | May 21, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000334 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | ca. 1875-ca. 1920 |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival; Craftsman |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | 209 Main houses a beauty salon; 215 Main was vacant as of September 2008 after housing an audio shop and then a restaurant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.58829, -79.38974 (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 09000334.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15212779
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.