|
|
*1.
|
Williams-Brown House-Store (c. 1845) - 801 E. Main Street
|
|
|
Built by William C. Williams, builder, merchant, hotel keeper, as residence/store/post office. In 1852 J.R.C. Brown, Jr., bought it. Used as fraternity house in 1930s, later as apartments. William Watts donated house to Salem Historical Society, which moved it to current site. Opened as The Salem Museum in June 1992. |
|
2.
|
East Hill Cemetery North (1871) - Longwood Park |
|
|
Two-acre lot, bought for $82 in 1871, was burying ground for African American community of Roanoke County. Among prominent citizens buried here are the Rev. B. F. Fox, founder of Shiloh Baptist Church, branch of First Baptist. |
|
3.
|
Site of Longwood Mansion (1904) - Longwood Park |
|
|
Thomas H. Cooper, coal operator, built luxurious 18-room residence on this 11-acre tract in 1903. Heirs sold it to Town of Salem in 1942. Used for meetings until fire destroyed it in 1968. Carriage house remains and is used by park services. |
|
*4.
|
Old Courthouse (1910) - Main Street at College Avenue |
|
|
After Roanoke County was established in 1838, first courthouse served as meeting place, muster point and hospital during Civil War. In early 1900s Salem erected this courthouse on same site. In 1980, the county built another courthouse immediately to the east and Roanoke College acquired the old structure. The Southern Cross Chapter of United Daughters of Confederacy dedicated the Confederate Monument on the lawn in 1909. |
|
5.
|
Monterey (c. 1840) - 110 High Street |
|
|
Originally owned by Powell H. Huff, Monterey was constructed with bricks handmade by slaves on premises. Greek Revival home features 12 rooms, two-story entrance hall, twelve-foot ceilings. Served as hotel around 1900, boarding summer guests. |
|
*6.
|
Roanoke College (1847) - north end of College Avenue |
|
|
Originally established in 1842 as Virginia Institute in Augusta County, College was relocated in Salem five years later. Copies of Roanoke College Walking Tour are available from Admissions Office located in Roselawn, 226 High Street. |
|
7.
|
Streetcar Station (1890-1931) - 119 East Main Street |
|
|
A bricked-in ticket window is still evident on western side of what is currently The Computer Store, marking site of station for electric streetcars from 1894. Earlier, streetcars to Roanoke and Vinton were pulled by steam engine.
As you walk along this part of Main Street, notice tops of buildings decorated with the original tin work so popular at turn of century. Many storefronts on Main Street are original.
|
|
*8.
|
1923 Post Office - 301 East Main Street |
|
|
Constructed in program that introduced great architecture to many towns, this was Salem's first federally owned postal building. Earlier, post office was located at various points along Main Street. |
|
*9.
|
Salem Presbyterian Church (1851) - Main Street at Market |
|
|
Presbyterian congregation outgrew its original church on Academy Street and erected this building, using slave labor, with bricks fired on premises. Structure incorporates numerous architectural designs from popular antebellum handbooks. Benjamin Deyerle, known for Greek revival buildings, is thought to be architect. |
|
10.
|
Old Post House (1821) - 42 East Main Street |
|
|
House first doubled as residence for builder Jacob Stevens and his wife Sarah. Initially providing travelers with a mail drop, an exchange for fresh horses, and possibly overnight lodgings, it was later used as private residence and tea house. St. Paul's Episcopal Church purchased it in 1952 and uses it for church purposes. |
|
11.
|
Farmer's Market - Main Street at Broad. |
|
|
Operating in Salem unofficially for many years, city market was only formally established in 1992. Open from 6 a.m. to dusk, Monday-Saturday, April-December. |
|
12.
|
City Hall (1912) - 114 Broad Street |
|
|
Constructed in Jeffersonian Revival Style, building served as Salem High School for over 20 years until fire caused it to close for renovations. It reopened and served as Broad Street Elementary 1934-76. Converted into City Hall in 1983. |
|
*13.
|
Evans Webber House (1882) 213 Broad Street |
|
|
Lavish example of Second French Empire architecture, the house, built by John Evans, still boasts its original carved wood cornices, brackets, eaves and 13-foot ceilings. Windows made of cast iron. |
|
14.
|
Rice House (1867) - 223 Broad Street |
|
|
Built by Salem attorney D. B. Strouse, house did not originally support those massive Corinthian columns. Owner renovated original long, thin, one-story porch after seeing porch similar to this one on trip north in early 1900s. House still has fireplace in every room, including six bedrooms, and original wrought iron fence.
Walkers may proceed along alley between the Evans Webber and Rice houses, a typical nineteenth century passageway for townspeople on horseback or foot.
|
|
*15.
|
Academy Street School (1890, 1895) - 121 Academy Street |
|
|
These two buildings, of Italian style of Flemish Bond construction, served students for better part of century, until 1977. Initial structure, on right, was used for lower grades; second school was added for upper level students. Buildings are now condominiums. |
|
16.
|
Union Street (1802) |
|
|
In early 1800s, headquarters of Roanoke Navigation Company, on southwest corner of Main and Union, which sent several shipments of cargo on canal running down Union Street to Roanoke River. In 1859, railroad eliminated need of canal. During Civil War, Northern troops marched down Union Street toward rail depot to destroy tracks, creating, according to newspaper account, "a lively spectacle. There were wagons, carriages, carts, omnibuses, horsemen, footmen, citizens, students, running pell-mell hollowing Yankees." |
|
17.
|
New Castle (c. 1820, 1853) - 12 Union Street |
|
|
Early Republic brick building at rear of house, one of oldest structures in Salem, originally served as residence but became slave quarters when larger house was constructed. New Castle was later converted into factory that produced chewing tobacco. After World War II, Mrs. Howard Butts founded private North Cross School here. It currently houses Olde Salem Furnishings. |
|
18.
|
Queen Anne House (c. 1888) - 103 Union St. at southwest corner of Union and Calhoun |
|
|
Rare example of its type in area, home was built when trends moved away from simple Colonial architecture to more flowery and creative styles. Note fan-type decorations and many spindles on porch and cupola over front bay window. |
|
19.
|
First Baptist Church (1867) |
|
|
After meeting in private homes for many months, First Baptist Church was constructed under direction of the Rev. J. R. Cooper. A pioneer Baptist congregation for African American Salemites, this church spawned two others, Shiloh and Calvary churches. |
|
20.
|
Oakey Duval House (c. 1880) - 206 East Calhoun Street |
|
|
Built by W. D. F. Duval, hotel proprietor, this Victorian era home has served both as private residence and business location in Salem for many years. It hosts seven fireplaces and floors of white oak. |
|
*21.
|
Old Manse (1847) - 530 East Main Street |
|
|
Built by John Day, local blacksmith, this building was later sold to Salem Presbyterian Church, which used it as home for their ministers until 1939. Since then, it has been a private residence and bed and breakfast. |
|
22.
|
East Hill Cemetery (1869) - East Main Street |
|
|
After older burial grounds in Salem became too crowded, thirty stockholders in Roanoke Cemetery Company purchased these ten acres from estate of Nathaniel Burwell. General Andrew Lewis' body was moved to East Hill in 1897 from an overgrown family graveyard. Confederate soldiers who died in battles and hospitals in and around Salem are buried here as well. |
|
