National Register of Historic Places

Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase)

Petersburg (Independent City), Petersburg County, Virginia
Listed
February 10, 2006
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
06000030

About this property

Poplar Lawn Historic District is a national historic district located in Petersburg, Virginia. The district is named after Petersburg's central park, which spans about two city blocks. In the early 19th century, it was often used as a military parade ground, but during the American Civil War, it became a tent-based detention center and hospital. Later, it became the site of civic celebrations, including possibly the first Memorial Day, on June 9, 1865. The district also includes 372 contributing buildings, mostly mid- to late-19th-century, single-family residences for middle and upper-middle-class families, some constructed of brick, others weatherboard frame, and later subdivided. Residential architectural styles include Greek Revival, Colonial Revival, Second Empire, and Italianate. Notable buildings include the Bolling-Zimmer House (c. 1830), St. Stephen's Church (c. 1912), Zion Baptist Church (c. 1880s), William T. Double House (c. 1855), the Waterworks (1856), Dr. Robert Broadnax House (1858), Market Street Methodist Church Parsonage (c. 1905), Maurice Finn House (c. 1904), and the Frank M. D'Alton Double House (c. 1911). Poplar Lawn Park features a stone basin of uncertain age that is five feet across, and with an oval-shaped depression a foot wide and a foot deep. It is traditionally known as "Pocahontas' bath", though there is no proof she ever used it. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, with a boundary increase in 2006.

Location

Petersburg (Independent City), Petersburg County, Virginia
37.22338, -77.39956

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTBLACK
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.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Poplar Lawn Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Bolling, Anna P., Junior High School
Industrial
0.1 mi
Cohen House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Petersburg Trailways Bus Station
Industrial
0.3 mi
Washington Street Methodist Church
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Petersburg — Second Assault (June 16-18, 1864)
1864Civil War
0.3 mi
Petersburg Final Assault (April 2, 1865)
1865Civil War
0.3 mi
Petersburg — First Assault (June 15, 1864)
1864Civil War
0.3 mi
Petersburg — June 9 Cavalry Assault (Kautz's Raid)
1864Civil War
0.3 mi
Defense of Petersburg by Old Men and Young Boys
1864Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase) listed on the National Register?

Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 10, 2006.

What type of historic resource is Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase) is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

The period of significance for Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase) is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Poplar Lawn Historic District (Boundary Increase)?

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