Virginia Landmarks Register

Virginia Landmarks Register
Name	Virginia Landmarks Register
Caption	Virginia State Capitol, Richmond
Established	1966
Location	Richmond, Virginia
Governing body	Virginia Department of Historic Resources
Website	Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Virginia Landmarks Register is the official list of historic properties recognized at the state level in Virginia. It documents and designates buildings, districts, sites, structures, and objects significant to the history of Virginia, complementing national recognition such as the National Register of Historic Places and coordination with programs like National Historic Landmarks Program. The register informs preservation planning for places associated with events and persons such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee, and locales tied to the Jamestown Settlement, Yorktown Campaign, and Shenandoah Valley heritage.

History

The register emerged from mid-20th-century preservation movements influenced by legislation including the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and state initiatives centered in Richmond institutions such as the Virginia Historical Society and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Early listings featured colonial-era sites tied to Jamestown, Colonial Williamsburg, and plantations associated with families like the Custis family and the Carter family (Virginia). The register’s development paralleled efforts at Monticello and the Virginia State Capitol to formalize protection, and intersected with archaeological investigations at loci such as Historic Jamestowne and Shirley Plantation.

Administration and Criteria

Administration resides with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources and the state review board, working alongside entities like the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and local historic districts commissions, with policy influenced by the National Park Service. Criteria for designation draw on associations with persons like John Marshall, events like the Battle of Fredericksburg, architectural distinction exemplified by works of Thomas Jefferson and Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception-era design influences, and integrity of setting found in places such as Charlottesville and Alexandria, Virginia. Evaluations consider significance under themes including exploration, settlement, industry tied to James River and Kanawha Canal, transportation represented by Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and patterns linked to Civil Rights Movement landmarks like sites associated with Barbara Johns.

Listing Process

Nominations originate from property owners, local governments such as the City of Richmond, nonprofit organizations like the Preservation Virginia (formerly Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities), and federal agencies including the National Park Service. The process involves preparation of a nomination dossier aligning with the register’s forms used by specialists in archaeology from institutions such as the College of William & Mary and architectural historians connected to University of Virginia. Review steps include assessment by the state review board, public notice in municipal channels like those of Hampton Roads, consultation with tribal entities such as the Pamunkey Indian Tribe, and potential forwarding to the National Register of Historic Places for dual listing.

Types of Properties and Notable Entries

The register encompasses diverse property types: plantation complexes like Mount Vernon, civic buildings such as the Virginia State Capitol, industrial sites like the Appomattox Iron Works, transportation resources including the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor segments, archaeological sites at Jamestown and Shenandoah National Park locations, and districts such as the Old Town Alexandria Historic District, Fredericksburg Historic District, and Roanoke Downtown Historic District. Notable entries include estates associated with James Madison at Montpelier, Revolutionary-era sites linked to the Siege of Yorktown, antebellum structures tied to the Pocahontas (Native American), and 20th-century resources connected to Langston Hughes-era cultural sites and Nottoway Plantation.

Preservation and Conservation Efforts

Preservation work is coordinated with state-level programs offering tax incentives and easements, partnerships with organizations such as National Trust for Historic Preservation, local governments like Arlington County, and academic conservation labs at institutions including the Smithsonian Institution and the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Conservation projects have stabilized landscapes along the James River, restored interiors at Montpelier and Mount Vernon, and supported archaeological fieldwork at Historic Jamestowne and Civil War battlefields like Petersburg National Battlefield. Funding avenues include state rehabilitation tax credits, grants administered by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, and private philanthropy from foundations such as the Annenberg Foundation.

Impact and Significance

The register shapes tourism economies in regions such as Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Beach, and Charlottesville, informs planning for transportation corridors like the Appalachian Trail crossings, supports education at universities including Virginia Commonwealth University and George Mason University, and aids cultural memory tied to figures like Meriwether Lewis and events like the Civil War. It provides a formal mechanism for recognition that complements federal listings and local ordinances, influences redevelopment in cities such as Norfolk, Virginia and Richmond, Virginia, and contributes to scholarly research conducted by centers like the American Antiquarian Society. The register’s role in preserving Virginia’s material heritage ensures continued protection of sites integral to narratives from colonial settlement to modern civil rights struggles.

Category:Historic preservation in Virginia Category:Virginia registers of historic places