Western State Hospital (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Western State Lunactic Asylum; Staunton Correctional Center; 132-0009
Why it's listed
This boundary increase expands the Western State Hospital complex in Staunton, Virginia, by more than sixteen acres to the south and east of the original core. It adds thirteen contributing brick buildings and one non-contributing stucco and frame garage, dating from 1855 to 1939. Among them are the 1935 Wheary Building, a three-story Classical Revival structure originally built to house suicidal patients; a laundry begun in 1865 and expanded over time; several ward buildings from 1875 to 1894; and brick physicians' dwellings in Colonial Revival style, the earliest from 1898. The buildings form a cohesive group of classically inspired structures that show how care for the state's mentally ill changed into the twentieth century. They reflect the work of architect J. Crawford Neilson and hospital director Dr. Joseph DeJarnette. After the Department of Corrections took over the property, interiors were remodeled, notably in 1982. The property is now listed as vacant.
Significance in brief: The added buildings form a cohesive group of classically inspired structures that reflect changing attitudes toward the care of the state's mentally ill into the twentieth century. They show adaptations of the classical idiom by architect J. Crawford Neilson and by hospital director Dr. Joseph DeJarnette. The form's available text does not include the full Section 8 statement.
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 07000082, listed February 21, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 301 Greenville Ave., SE Corner of VA 11 and VA 250, Staunton (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Staunton |
| Listed | February 21, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000082 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | J. Crawford Neilson; Dr. Joseph DeJarnette (hospital director); possibly Thomas Blackburn (Building #26) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Health/Medicine, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the buildings were most recently used by the Department of Corrections (Staunton Correctional Center). |
| Acreage | 16.2 |
| Coordinates | 38.14433, -79.06851 (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 07000082.
- 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.