Virginian Railway Passenger Station
Also known as: 128-5461
Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at the edge of a rail yard in Roanoke, this passenger station served the Virginian Railway, which that year completed its line carrying coal from West Virginia to Hampton Roads. Two similar one-story brick buildings, one a waiting room and one a baggage room, stand on either side of a covered area. Both have hipped roofs with red terra cotta tiles and yellow brick veneer over red brick. The larger south building has a gabled bay with faux half-timbering that gives it a Tudor Revival look. Roanoke was the division point between the railway's New River and Norfolk divisions, and construction began within two months of the line's completion. Passenger service ended in the mid-1950s. A fire in January 2001 damaged the roofs and the south building's ceilings, though the walls survived. The station was recognized for its role in rail transportation and for its distinctive railroad-era design and construction.
Significance in brief: The station is significant under Criterion A in Transportation for its role in passenger service to and from Roanoke, a division point on the Virginian Railway. It is also significant under Criterion C in Architecture for visual characteristics and construction methods used only briefly and only by the railroad industry.
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 03000456, listed May 22, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1402 Jefferson St. SE, Roanoke (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | May 22, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1953 |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: eclectic; Other: Railroad Station vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A fire in late January 2001 severely damaged the roofs of both buildings and the south building's ceilings. The form describes a current function of work in progress, with rehabilitation planned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Roanoke River and Railroad Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.25980, -79.94085 (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 03000456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7934728
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.