Winchester Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Historic Old Town Winchester; Dhr #138-0042
Why it's listed
Built in 1895 beside the railroad tracks on N. Kent Street in Winchester, the Lewis Jones Knitting Mill is a two-story, five-bay brick building on a rubble stone foundation, with a metal roof and a long roof monitor. Corbelled brick cornices and pilasters divide its sides into bays. Albert Baker of Winchester and Lewis Jones, Sr. of Philadelphia founded the company to produce cotton underwear and hosiery and to provide local employment. It was the first textile mill in Winchester and the only cotton mill in the region, where other mills made woolen goods. Additions followed in 1912, 1927 and 1948, including a north wing and a southern warehouse. Manufacturing ended in the 1960s, and the first floor now houses a safety glasses assembly business. The owners of the mill declined inclusion when the Winchester Historic District was drawn in 1979. The building was later added because it represents the industrial theme and is the only surviving textile-related industrial building downtown.
Significance in brief: The mill was the first textile mill built in Winchester and the only cotton manufacturing facility in the region, since other local mills produced woolen goods. It adds the area of Industry, otherwise not represented in the district. It also keeps a well-preserved Late Victorian commercial/industrial design and is the only surviving textile-related industrial building in downtown Winchester.
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 03000054, listed February 20, 2003. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 120 and 126 N. Kend St., Winchester (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Winchester |
| Listed | February 20, 2003 |
| Reference number | 03000054 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Commercial Vernacular |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Parts of the building are in use: the first floor and parts of the north wing house a tenant assembling safety glasses. The basement and second floor are unused, and the rear sections are condemned. The northeast part of the north wing is in ruinous condition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Winchester Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.18427, -78.16228 (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 03000054.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16903512
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.