Orange Commercial Historic District
About this property
Orange Commercial Historic District is a national historic district located at Orange, Orange County, Virginia. One of Virginia's Main Street communities, it encompasses 61 contributing buildings in the central business district of Orange's county seat. While the courthouse maintains records dating back to the county's formation in 1734, almost all the buildings were built after formal incorporation of "Orange Court House" as a town in 1872. The town's name was shortened in 1890. Especially after the American Civil War, during which many Confederate convalesced in Orange, the town grew as a railroad center. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad (begun in 1850), which connected in Gordonsville, Virginia to a railroad from Charlottesville and Lynchburg into Richmond, for decades was the main transportation link between Washington, D.C. and Richmond. The town experienced a devastating fire on November 8, 1908, which led to an economic decline. However, by 1930 the area had adopted to the increasingly popular automobile, with many dealers, related industry and tourism. The district's 19th- and early 20th-century residential, commercial and institutional buildings show various popular architectural styles, especially the Italianate. Notable buildings include Peliso (c. 1806), Sparks Building (c. 1830), Holladay House (c. 1830), Miles B. Lipscomb Store (1853), Nazareth Baptist Church (1913), Masonic Opera House (1885, 1921–1922), Trinity United Methodist Church (1892), former National Bank of Orange (1892), former Citizens National Bank (1925), Levy's Busy Corner (1908), and the Southern Railway Depot (1908). Located in the district but previously (and separately) listed are the Orange County Courthouse and St. Thomas Church. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Media related to Orange Commercial Historic District at Wikimedia Commons
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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.
Everything a full report reveals about Orange Commercial Historic District
This page lists Orange Commercial 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:
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Questions about this property
When was Orange Commercial Historic District listed on the National Register?
Orange Commercial Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 21, 1999.
What type of historic resource is Orange Commercial Historic District?
Orange Commercial Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Orange Commercial Historic District?
The period of significance for Orange Commercial Historic District is recorded as the listed era.
Can I research the history near Orange Commercial 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 Orange Commercial Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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An Aubrey US report for an address near Orange Commercial Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.