National Register of Historic Places

Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District

Stephens City, Frederick County, Virginia
Listed
August 17, 1992
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
92001033

About this property

The Newtown–Stephensburg Historic District is located in the central section of Stephens City, Virginia along U.S. Route 11 from the far northern to the far southern boundaries of the town and from just east of Green Hill Cemetery to just west of the interchange of State Route 277 and Interstate 81. It is a 65-acre (26 ha) historic district that includes 143 contributing buildings and 4 additional contributing sites. The area that makes up the Newtown–Stephensburg Historic District was originally settled in 1734 by German settler Peter Stephens. Stephens travelled from Pennsylvania with Joist Hite in 1732. Hite's grandson, Issac Hite, Jr. would later build the Belle Grove Plantation in nearby Middletown, Virginia. Peter Stephens son, Lewis Stephens, was the owner of the original 900 acres (3.6 km2) that made up the town of Stephensburgh, as it was called when chartered and founded in September 1758. Stephensburgh would become the second oldest town in the Shenandoah Valley (behind nearby Winchester, Virginia). Since its beginnings, the town would be a commercial hub along the "Great Philadelphia Wagon Road" (what is now today U.S. Route 11) and the "Old Dutch Wagon Road" (what is today State Route 277). Because Routes 11 and 277 were two very heavily traveled arteries through the 19th and 20th centuries, the town's businesses oriented towards transportation from the nationally known "Newtown Wagon" companies for the 1800s to today numerous service centers and eateries. The historical integrity of the individual buildings and the general townscape that make up this historic area is impressive; little to no new construction has taken place in this area since the early 1940s. National Register of Historic Places in Frederick County, Virginia Media related to Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District at Wikimedia Commons

Location

Stephens City, Frederick County, Virginia
39.08473, -78.21742

Categories

COMMERCETRANSPORTATIONARCHITECTURE
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 Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District

This page lists Newtown-Stephensburg 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 Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Springdale Mill Complex
Industrial
1.8 mi
Hite, John, House
Industrial
1.9 mi
Fort Colvin
Early Republic
3.9 mi
Opequon Presbyterian Church
Colonial
3.9 mi
Rose Hill Farm
Industrial
4.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District listed on the National Register?

Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 17, 1992.

What type of historic resource is Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District?

Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District?

The period of significance for Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Newtown-Stephensburg 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 Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Frederick County

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

Explore FrederickCounty ›

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 Newtown-Stephensburg Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report