A virtual public hearing for the proposed Schoolfield Historic District will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 13. The general public and property owners in and adjacent to the district are welcome to attend the hearing.
Schoolfield, the former textile mill village of Dan River Mills, is eligible for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. The designation will help to promote awareness and appreciation of the neighborhood and its history. This designation is purely an honorary designation that places no restrictions on property owners beyond current local zoning.
The meeting will offer background on the preparation of the nomination and the benefits and process of State and National designation. The meeting will conclude after a public Q&A session.
This public hearing must be held so that the Schoolfield Historic District can be presented at the quarterly Virginia State Review Board and Board of Historic Resources meeting for listing on National and State Registers on September 17th 2020.
To attend the public meeting:
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
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Background:
The history of Schoolfield is tied to Dan River Mills, which founded the village for its textile workers in 1903. Until 1951 when the City of Danville annexed the Schoolfield, Dan River owned and controlled the entirety of the village.
Schoolfield includes 727 homes as well as churches, a cemetery, an industrial site, Dan River executive offices, a commercial area, as well as two previously listed properties, the former Welfare Building (https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/108-5065-0083/) and the Schoolfield School Complex (https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/108-5065-0081/).
The approximately 512-acre district is roughly bounded by the Dan River to the north, Park Avenue and Selma Avenue to the east, Fairfield Avenue and Schoolfield Cemetery to the south, and Laurel Drive and Memorial Drive to the west.
The period of significance for the district is 1903-1969, from the date when the first houses and mills were constructed, to when Dan River Mills completed its last major construction project.
In January of this year, the Danville Office of Economic Development and the Industrial Development Authority of Danville hired Storied Capital, Hill Studio, and Burton Consulting to complete a building-by-building survey of these areas, which is the first step in pursuing the National Register listing.
The field survey involved documenting the exterior of the buildings with photographs and field notes from the public sidewalks and alleyways. Surveyors documented 1,401 resources, including buildings, sites, structures, and objects within the district. Of those resources, 1,005 were determined contributing to the historic fabric of Schoolfield.
Properties that are considered contributing to the district will be eligible for the state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credit programs. These tax credits assist with redevelopment costs of historic buildings.
More information on the Historic Registers and the Tax Incentives is available on the Virginia Department of Historic Resources website at www.dhr.virginia.gov.
All survey information will be available to the public digitally at the City offices and in hard copy at the archives of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. If residents have questions about the survey or historic information related to properties within the district, they may contact Renee Burton, burtotr@danvilleva.gov.
Project contacts: