Lower Basin Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
Two buildings were added to Lynchburg's Lower Basin Historic District: a 1949 supermarket at 1307 Main Street and an 1896-1901 factory at 103-109 Sixth Street. The five-story Piggly Wiggly, designed by Stanhope Johnson and built by W.T. Jones Construction Company for $200,000, was developed by J.J. Anderson as the city's first self-service supermarket. It offered pre-packaged goods, cold-food cases in place of a butcher's counter, angled shelving, an in-house bakery and a snack bar. It was left out of the 1987 listing because it was then under 50 years old. The Price & Clements building, a brick Italianate-style factory on a ca. 1840 stone foundation, was built for the United Cigarette Machine Company and later housed a carriage business, a sign works, a bottling company and a machine shop. Faux-stucco that hid its character has been removed, and the Academy of Music Foundation plans to restore it. Both buildings now count as contributing to the district's commercial and warehouse character.
Significance in brief: The Piggly Wiggly, designed by Stanhope Johnson, was Lynchburg's first self-service supermarket and reached 50 years of age after the 1987 district listing. The Price & Clements building matches the district's commercial and warehouse character and its tobacco-related industrial history, and its original appearance was uncovered when faux-stucco sheathing was removed.
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 02000620, listed June 6, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1307 Main St., 103-109 Sixth St., Lynchburg (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Lynchburg |
| Listed | June 6, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000620 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1800-1950 (district) |
| Architect / builder | Stanhope Johnson (architect); W.T. Jones Construction Company (builder of the Piggly Wiggly) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival/Commercial Vernacular |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Commerce, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings are listed as vacant/not in use. The Price & Clements building is owned by the Academy of Music Foundation and is to be restored as part of a performing arts complex. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.41783, -79.14374 (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).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 02000620.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.