The city of Staunton was laid out in 1748 and established as a town in 1761. Begun in 1781 as a 25-acre annexation to Staunton known as the Newtown Addition and since expanded, the Newtown Historic District is a large and varied neighborhood whose development spans over a century and a half. On the east, where Newtown joins Staunton's two commercial historic districts, warehouses coexist with richly detailed brick houses. The neighborhood's steep hills are a mix of 19th-century and early 20th-century houses with individual examples of late 18th-century architecture such as the Stuart house of 1791. Three girls' schools were located in the district, of which Stuart Hall School remains. The religious buildings include Trinity Church (1855); the chapel of the city's first black church, organized in 1865; and several late 19th-century churches. An important but contrasting component of the district is the romantically landscaped Thornrose Cemetery, filled with Victorian funerary monuments.
The Stuart Addition Historic District generally conforms to a tract deeded to the city in 1803 by Judge Archibald Stuart. The neighborhood developed gradually but steadily and was well established by the Civil War. As with all of Staunton's older areas, it experienced its greatest growth from the 1870s to World War I. The district thus has great diversity of both architectural styles and forms. Intermingled with some of Staunton's oldest residences, some dating before 1825, are characteristic examples of later styles such as Italianate, Queen Anne and Georgian Revival. Only a fraction of its 105 buildings are modern intrusions. Traditionally a racially mixed neighborhood, the district contains three historic black churches and a 1915 black elementary school. A principle architectural landmark is the Victorian Gothic-style St. Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church designed by Staunton architect T. J. Collins. The Newtown Historic District is roughly bounded by Lewis and S. Jefferson sts., C&O RR and Allegheny and Churchville aves., including Thornrose Cemetery. The Stuart Addition Historic District is roughly bounded by Augusta, Sunnyside, Market and New sts. A Self-Guided Tour of Staunton's Historic Districts, a brochure produced by the Historic Staunton Foundation, is available from many downtown merchants, and the Staunton Visitor Center on New St., open 9:00am to 5:00pm daily. Call 800-332-5219 for details. |
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