National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Salem Historic District

Salem (Independent City), Salem County, Virginia
Listed
June 4, 1996
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
96000591

About this property

Downtown Salem Historic District is a national historic district located at Salem, Virginia. The district encompasses 34 contributing buildings and 1 contributing site in downtown Salem. The district includes primarily mixed-use commercial buildings, but also includes churches, dwellings, a courthouse, a post office, a library, a park, and the covered stalls of a farmer's market. The buildings mostly date from the late-19th and early-20th century and are in a variety of popular architectural styles including Greek Revival, Italianate, and Queen Anne. Notable buildings include the Stevens House or "Old Post House" (1820s-1830s), Kizer-Webber Building (1883-1886), Duval-Oakey House (1891-1898), Salem High School (former, 1911-1912), Old Salem Municipal Building and Fire Department (1925), Quality Bakery Building (c. 1903-1913), Olde Newberry Building (1929), Salem Theater (former, 1930), and James J. True Building (1927). Located in the district are the separately listed Old Roanoke County Courthouse, Salem Presbyterian Church, and Salem Post Office. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

Location

Salem (Independent City), Salem County, Virginia
37.29390, -80.05696

Categories

COMMERCEARCHITECTUREPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Salem Historic District

This page lists Downtown Salem Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Downtown Salem Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Salem Post Office
Industrial
0.1 mi
Salem Presbyterian Church
Industrial
0.1 mi
Old Roanoke County Courthouse
Industrial
0.1 mi
Main Campus Complex, Roanoke College
Industrial
0.2 mi
Evans House
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Averell's Second Raid (December 1863) — Droop Mountain to Salem
1863Civil War
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Downtown Salem Historic District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Salem Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 4, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Salem Historic District?

Downtown Salem Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downtown Salem Historic District?

The period of significance for Downtown Salem Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Downtown Salem Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Downtown Salem Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Salem County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Salem County.

Explore SalemCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Downtown Salem Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report