The rehabilitated River City Center on Main Street, housing retail and service businesses, is a composite of three buildings constructed between 1900-1930. The rehabilitation removed a 1950s metal facade that covered all three buiding, so that this block once again appears as separate buildings. Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

Danville is located in the southern Piedmont area on the banks of the Dan River. As in other sections of the Virginia Piedmont, tobacco developed as the principal cash crop of the Dan River Valley. From the late 18th century through the late 19th century, the regional expansion of tobacco production and innovations in its cultivation and manufacture stimulated the development of Danville.

In 1856, a rail connection from Danville to Richmond was completed. With this connection to outside markets and the rise of tobacco prices during the 1840s and 1850s, Danville emerged as an important tobacco manufacturing center. During this period, Danville's commercial district continued to develop along the town's principal thoroughfare, Main Street. During the Civil War, Danville acted for a brief time as the capital of the Confederacy after the Confederate government evacuated Richmond. Despite Danville's role during the Confederacy's troubled last days, the Civil War left the city virtually unscathed. In the 1870s and 1880s, Danville emerged as the dominant tobacco market in the bright leaf tobacco belt of Virginia and North Carolina.

The city's tobacconists began to channel some of their profits into textile manufacturing and erected large brick factories along the river. Danville's commercial district mirrored the city's economic good fortunes. Commercial buildings sprang up along the cross streets that connected Main Street to the tobacco warehouse and factory districts. The present Masonic Building, Danville's first skyscraper, was constructed from 1921 to 1922 to alleviate a shortage of office space in the downtown. Banks, theaters, government buildings and fraternal organization buildings dot the downtown landscape as well, and add to the rich architectural character of Danville.

The Herman Building, one of Danville's rehabilitated commercial buildings Photo courtesy of Virginia Main Street Program

With the decline of the textile and tobacco industries and suburban growth at the outskirts of the city, Danville's downtown commercial activity began to decelerate. Initiated by the city government, the Downtown Danville Historic District was listed in the National Register in 1993. In 2000, Danville became a designated Virginia Main Street community. The Downtown Danville Association has spearheaded revitalization efforts. A number of historic builldings have been rehabilitated.

The Downtown Danville Historic District is roughly bounded by Memorial Dr. and High, Patton and Ridge sts. The Downtown Danville Association is located at 635 Main St. and is open from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday-Friday. For more information about shopping, dining and events in downtown Danville, call the Downtown Danville Association at 434-791-4470.

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