Downtown Charles Town Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Charles Town Historic District

Charles Town, Jefferson County, West Virginia
Listed
March 21, 1997
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
97000263

About this property

The Downtown Charles Town Historic District comprises the commercial center of Charles Town, West Virginia. The district centers on Washington Street and includes the Jefferson County Courthouse and the New Opera House, themselves on the National Register of Historic Places. Other structures include the Market House, the Independent Fire Company building and the Post Office. A few very early buildings are included, such as the Sheetz House, dating to 1797. The town is significant as the scene of the trial of John Brown and as a contested town during the American Civil War. Charles Town is closely associated with the Washington family, as it was laid out by George Washington's brother Charles Washington. During the Civil War, there was fighting in the town itself on several occasions. In 1864, General Philip Sheridan used the Rutherford House at 417 East Washington Street as a headquarters for the Valley Campaign, meeting General Ulysses S. Grant there.

Location

Charles Town, Jefferson County, West Virginia
39.28918, -77.86017

Categories

ARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTMILITARY
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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Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Charles Town Historic District

This page lists Downtown Charles Town 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.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Jefferson County Courthouse
Early Republic
0 mi
New Opera House
Industrial
0.1 mi
South Charles Town Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Gibson-Todd House
Industrial
0.3 mi
Charles Town Mining, Manufacturing, and Improvement Company Building
Industrial
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Downtown Charles Town Historic District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Charles Town Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 1997.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Charles Town Historic District?

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

What is the period of significance for Downtown Charles Town Historic District?

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

Can I research the history near Downtown Charles Town 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 Charles Town Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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