Old Town Historic District
Also known as: Vdhr#115-5001
Why it's listed
Old Town is a medium-density residential neighborhood in the heart of Harrisonburg, Virginia, just west of Interstate 81. Its streets, centered on Franklin Street and South Mason Street, hold houses built between 1850 and 1957 in Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman, American Four Square and other styles. Locally quarried limestone, weatherboard and brick are the dominant materials, and a large limestone wall built by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s closes the east end of Campbell Street. The district was listed because it preserves a varied collection of architecture showing how building forms changed in the early twentieth century, along with the street pattern created by additions such as Bucher and Steigel and A. M. Newman. Campbell Street recalls the Campbell Female Seminary, run from 1877 to 1892. Some streets now hold student rentals, offices and apartments.
Significance in brief: The district is described as an important collection of late-nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century residential architecture. It shows the shift from highly decorated Queen Anne houses to simpler Modern Movement forms. It also reflects regional use of locally quarried limestone and brick, and the neighborhood's growth through street openings and subdivisions from about 1899 to the 1930s.
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 08000026, listed February 14, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Cantrell Ave., Ott, Water & S. Main Sts., Harrisonburg (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Harrisonburg |
| Listed | February 14, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000026 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1850-1957 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian (Italianate, Queen Anne); Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals (Colonial, Spanish Colonial, Tudor); Bungalow/Craftsman; Modern Movement (Bauhaus, Moderne) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a neighborhood of single-family and multiple dwellings and some commerce; many houses near James Madison University now serve as student rentals, and Newman Avenue has shifted to mixed use. |
| Acreage | 98.5 |
| Within district | Harrisonburg Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.44560, -78.86694 (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 08000026.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085291
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.