Tazewell Avenue Historic District
Also known as: Vdhr# 148-5020
Why it's listed
Tazewell Avenue Historic District covers roughly ten blocks on the western side of downtown Richlands, Virginia, across the Clinch River from the main commercial area. It holds about 70 contributing buildings, mostly modest brick or frame houses from c. 1900 to 1960, including Queen Anne cottages, Craftsman bungalows, Cape Cods, Minimal Traditional houses, and Ranch houses. A row of two-story brick Commercial-style buildings lines Front Street, mostly from the 1930s to 1950s, with flat roofs, parapets, and corbelled cornices. The 1941 First Baptist Church adds modest Classical Revival styling, and a small former Pentecostal Holiness sanctuary stands nearby. The area grew as Richlands became a trading center after the town's founding by the Clinch Valley Coal and Iron Company and the arrival of the railroad. Brick manufacturing, coal mining, and commerce supported steady building through the 1950s. The district is recognized for its architecture, commerce, and community development.
Significance in brief: The district is nominated under Criteria A and C for architecture, commerce, and community planning and development. Its houses, commercial row, and churches show Richlands' growth from the early 1900s through the 1950s, as coal, brick manufacturing, and trade supported steady expansion. The buildings represent popular early and mid-twentieth-century styles.
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 10000147, listed March 31, 2010. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Tazewell Ave, Fairfax Ave, Front St., Second St., Third St., & Fourth St, Richlands |
|---|---|
| County | Tazewell County |
| Listed | March 31, 2010 |
| Reference number | 10000147 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | circa 1900 - 1960 |
| Architect / builder | Fields, W.W., Sr.; Brown, Joe; Brown, Wiley; Cook, Lawrence |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Queen Anne; Minimal Traditional; Colonial Revival; Ranch; Bungalow/Craftsman; Commercial Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Largely residential with some commercial and office uses; the district is described as having good integrity. Some buildings are altered, and 19 resources are non-contributing. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Coordinates | 37.09607, -81.80585 (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 10000147.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16901359
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.