Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: DHR No. 115-0187
Why it's listed
Downtown Harrisonburg's historic district covers about 100 acres around Main Street, Court Square and the Rockingham County Courthouse. The city was laid out as the county seat in 1779-80 beside Blacks Run, and the district holds its commercial and institutional core. Dense commercial blocks around the square date mainly from the 1870s to the 1950s. South Main and South Liberty streets are largely residential, though some houses now serve as offices. Industrial and warehouse buildings cluster at the north end and along Chesapeake Avenue, including the Rockingham Milling Company complex and the 1913 Chesapeake Western Railway Station. Other resources include the 1908 Classical Revival former high school, designed by Charles Morrison Robinson, and the early Thomas Harrison House, a limestone dwelling with a Methodist conference connection. Of 215 resources, 167 contribute to the district, which is recognized for the period 1779-1955 and for the range of building types and styles it preserves.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the city's commercial, governmental, religious, industrial and residential core, with buildings mostly from the 1870s to the 1950s and some earlier and later ones. The form counts 215 resources, of which 167 (77 percent) contribute to the period of significance, 1779-1955. The excerpt provided does not include the Section 8 statement of significance.
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 100002376, listed April 30, 2018. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 245 and 240 Old South High St., Harrisonburg |
|---|---|
| County | Harrisonburg |
| Listed | April 30, 2018 |
| Reference number | 100002376 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1779-1955 |
| Architectural style | Mixed styles including Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Romanesque, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Tudor Revival, Late Gothic Revival, Italian Renaissance, Craftsman, Moderne, International Style and Art Deco |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mixed uses continue. The Chesapeake Western Railway Station is described as vacant, and some south-end dwellings have been converted to hospital offices. |
| Acreage | 1.13 |
| Coordinates | 38.44667, -78.86806 (Wikidata) |
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 100002376.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15223092
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.