Wood, J. W., Building
Why it's listed
Located at 23-27 Ninth Street in downtown Lynchburg, this brick warehouse was built between 1851 and 1853 on a stone basement of irregular ashlar. Its design is a plain, almost severe version of Greek Revival, with a broad wooden cornice, a shallow hipped metal roof and simple lintels. The most distinctive feature is the cast-iron ground-floor front: seven pilasters with decorative cartouches and Corinthian capitals divide it into six bays, with two double doorways. It is the only antebellum iron facade of its kind remaining in Lynchburg. The iron may have come from New York, Richmond or Baltimore, though its source is uncertain. Inside, open floors, exposed pine joists and unadorned timber framing reflect its use as a warehouse. Nineteenth-century tenants included grain dealers, tobacco factors and shoe distributors. A wholesale grocery firm moved in during 1927 and the building is still used for storage. It is considered the largest and best preserved of Lynchburg's few surviving pre-Civil War commercial buildings.
Significance in brief: It is described as the largest and best preserved of the few pre-Civil War commercial buildings left in Lynchburg. Its first-floor cast-iron storefront is the only surviving antebellum iron facade of its type in the city. It also recalls the city's commercial activity of the 1850s, when the census ranked Lynchburg second richest in the nation per capita.
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 83003292, listed February 17, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 23-27 Ninth St., Lynchburg (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Lynchburg |
| Listed | February 17, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003292 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1850 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Modified Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a wholesale grocery warehouse, mainly for overflow space; the owners cleaned and painted the cast-iron facade. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Lower Basin Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.41614, -79.14044 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 83003292.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6107408
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.