Abingdon Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: See Also:Abingdon Historic District
Why it's listed
This extension of Abingdon's original historic district takes in about 124.5 acres, centered on twelve blocks of Valley Street and adding parts of King, Park, Oak Hill, Main and Whites Mill Road streets. The area was left out of the 1970 listing because most of its houses date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It holds 138 contributing buildings, including a few antebellum homes, Italianate brick houses, modified Queen Anne dwellings, many bungalows, and some Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival residences. Sinking Spring Cemetery, begun in 1773 at the site of an early Presbyterian church, holds about 2,000 marked graves, including those of two Virginia governors, along with a relocated log house. William King High School, built in 1913, overlooks the cemetery. Together these resources show how Abingdon, a commercial and political center of Southwest Virginia, grew from the early 19th century into the 20th, with few modern intrusions.
Significance in brief: The extension covers late 19th- and early 20th-century residential architecture that the original 1970 district left out. It shows a range of styles from the 1870s to the 1920s, from Italianate and Queen Anne to Bungalow, Colonial Revival and Tudor Revival. It also includes Sinking Spring Cemetery, the town's oldest burial ground, and a 1913 school that reflects the community's commitment to education.
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 86002193, listed September 17, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Russell Rd. and Jackson St., Whites Mill Rd., E. Main and E. Park and W. Main Sts., and Academy Dr., Abingdon |
|---|---|
| County | Washington County |
| Listed | September 17, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002193 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1778-1936 |
| Architect / builder | Various |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Bungalow, Tudor Revival, Greek Revival and vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Transportation, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | William King High School is described as currently vacant, with the town considering plans to revitalize it. The district overall is mostly occupied and in good to excellent condition. |
| Acreage | 124.5 |
| Coordinates | 36.71260, -81.97486 (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 86002193.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15177947
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.