Taylorstown Historic District
Why it's listed
Taylorstown is a tiny mill village beside Catoctin Creek in northern Loudoun County, Virginia, set among farmland at the foot of Catoctin Mountain. The 61-acre district includes a late eighteenth-century fieldstone mill, now a residence, and Hunting Hill, a stone house traditionally dated to 1737 that follows a German plan despite its Quaker setting. Other buildings include the stone cottage Foxton, a ca. 1800 frame store later used as a theatre and garage, Mann's Store of 1904 with concrete walls scored to imitate ashlar, and two ca. 1900 Victorian houses with sawn porch trim. The settlement grew after Thomas Taylor bought the mill in 1784 and sold off small lots nearby. The mill last operated in 1958. The district was recognised because the village keeps an unusually intact historic character, with few modern intrusions, varied vernacular architecture, and well-kept yards set in open pastoral scenery.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that few Virginia milling villages combine such a scenic setting with such a varied group of vernacular buildings. Hunting Hill may be one of the county's earliest houses and shows German-influenced room planning in a Quaker community. The stone mill is a rare surviving example that has been adapted to a new use. The village has also avoided modern intrusion.
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 78003027, listed January 30, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Around jct. of Rtes. 633 and 688 at Catoctin Creek, Taylorstown |
|---|---|
| County | Loudoun County |
| Listed | January 30, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78003027 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, including a German-plan stone house, a stone mill, early concrete construction and late-Victorian vernacular houses |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good; the district is occupied and mostly private residences. The mill no longer operates and has been converted to a private residence. |
| Acreage | 61 |
| Within district | Taylorstown Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 39.25823, -77.57438 (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 78003027.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7690262
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.