Downtown Charles Town Historic District (Tour)

Entries on This Tour

1. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 300 Block West Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 110 N Lawrence Street, 118 N Lawrence Street, 309 W Liberty Street, 200 N Lawrence Street, 306 W Liberty Street, 310 W Liberty Street, 312 W Liberty Street, 318 W Liberty Street, 322 W Liberty Street, and 324 W Liberty Street. Two structures in the Historic District were demolished in 2012 in the construction of the CVS: 117 N West Street and 115 N West Street.

2. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 200 Block West Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 116 N Charles Street, 122 N Charles Street, 205 W Liberty Street, 219 W Liberty Street/119 N Lawrence Street (Sheetz Florist), 202 N Charles Street, 210 W Liberty Street (Edward Tiffin House), 214 W Liberty Street, and 201 N Lawrence Street.

3. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 Block West Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 110 N George Street (Jefferson County Judicial Center/St. Margaret's Building), 122 N George Street, 125 N Charles Street, 109 N Charles Street, 204 N George Street (Opera House), and 102-104 W Liberty Street. One structure no longer stands at 110 W Liberty Street.

4. Old Opera House

The Old Opera House is a historic performing arts center in Charles Town. It opened in 1911 under the direction of Annie Packette, a prominent local who sought to bring more culture to the community. The opera house hosted a number of plays, vaudeville shows, minstrels, sporting events, and film screenings before closing in 1948. In 1973 the building was donated to the newly-formed Old Opera House Theatre Company which worked to restore and refurbish the old theatre. It reopened to the public in 1976 and today hosts a variety of plays along with an art gallery and acting, dance, and singing lessons. The Old Opera House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

5. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 & 200 Block East Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 224 E. Liberty Street, 218 E. Liberty Street, 212-214 E Liberty Street, 210 E Liberty Street, 202 E Liberty Street, 119 N George Street, 112-114 E Liberty Street, and 201 N George Street. Two structures in the National Register of Historic Places registration no longer stand: 207 E Liberty Street and 203 E Liberty Street.

6. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 300 Block East Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 327 E Liberty Street, 321 E Liberty Street, 313 E Liberty Street, 311 E. Liberty Street, 121 N Mildred Street, 115 N. Mildred Street, 326 E Liberty Street, 322 E Liberty Street, 318 E Liberty Street, 314 E Liberty Street, 306 E Liberty Street, 304 E Liberty Street, and 300 E Liberty Street.

7. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 400 Block East Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 423 E Liberty Street, 419 E Liberty Street, 411 E Liberty Street, 407 E Liberty Street, 418 E Liberty Street, 412 E Liberty Street, 410 E Liberty Street, 406 E Liberty Street, 404 E Liberty Street, and 400 E Liberty Street.

8. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 500 Block East Liberty Street

Historic District contributing structures: 547 E Liberty Street, 545 E Liberty Street, 112 N Court Street, 115 N Court Street, 515 E Liberty Street, 511-509 E Liberty Street, 505 E Liberty Street, 501 E Liberty Street, 542 E Liberty Street, 540 E Liberty Street, 526-528 E Liberty Street, 524 E Liberty Street, 518 E Liberty Street, 514 E Liberty Street, and 506 E Liberty Street.

9. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 500 Block East Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 515 E Washington Street, 525 E Washington Street, 527 E Washington Street, 539 E Washington Street, 500 E Washington Street, 508 E Washington Street, 524-526 E Washington Street, 528 E Washington Street, 530 E Washington Street, 532 E Washington Street, 534 E Washington Street, and 536 E Washington Street.

10. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 400 Block East Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 403 E Washington Street, 417 E Washington Street (Rutherford House/Carriage Inn), 400 E Washington Street, 410 E Washington Street, 418 E Washington Street, and 420 E Washington Street.

11. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 300 Block East Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 301 E Washington Street, 307 E Washington Street, 311 E Washington Street, 315 E Washington Street, 323 E Washington Street, 302 E Washington Street, 310 E Washington Street, 316 E Washington Street, 320 E Washington Street, and 324 E Washington Street.

12. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 200 Block E Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 201 E Washington Street, 215 E Washington Street, 221 E Washington Street, 220 E Washington Street (Charles Town Presbyterian Church), and 222 E Washington Street. Two structures included in the historic district appear to no longer stand: 208 E Washington Street and 210 E Washington Street.

13. Jefferson County Courthouse

The Jefferson County Courthouse was originally built between 1803-1808 in Charles Town on a plot of land donated by Charles Washington. It was replaced by a larger structure in 1836. Due to damage incurred during the Civil War, the Jefferson County seat was temporarily moved to Shepherdstown, and then moved back to Charles Town in 1872. The Jefferson County Courthouse is famous for housing two treason trials: John Brown's trial after his raid on the Harpers Ferry armory in 1859, and the trial against unionizing coal miners from Logan County in 1922. Today the courthouse remains in operation and is open to the public. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

14. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 Block E Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 105 S George Street, 101 E Washington Street (City Hall), 105? E Washington Street, 119 E Washington Street, 100 E Washington Street (Jefferson County Courthouse), 106 E Washington Street, 108-110 E Washington Street, 114 E Washington Street, 124 E Washington Street, and 104 N Samuel Street.

15. Old Charles Town Jail Site (Charles Town Post Office)

Though it was torn down in 1919, the old Charles Town jail was where John Brown was held before his hanging, sitting diagonally across from the courthouse. John Brown was taken by Robert E. Lee and his men on October 17, 1859 and transported to the jail while awaiting trial. He remained there until his hanging on December 2, 1859. In it's spot now stands the Charles Town post office.

16. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 Block West Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 129-131 W Washington Street, 125-127 W Washington Street, 121-123 W Washington Street, 117-119 W Washington Street, 115 W Washington Street, 105-113 W Washington Street (Sadler Block), 101 W Washington Street (Post Office), 132 W Washington Street, 128-130 W Washington Street, 124-126 W Washington Street, 120-118 W Washington Street, 100 W Washington Street (Charles Washington Hall), and 108 N George Street.

17. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 200 Block West Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 235-237 W Washington Street, 231 W Washington Street, 227 W Washington Street, 225 W Washington Street. 213-215 W Washington Street, 209-211 W Washington Street, 205-207 W Washington Street, 201-203 W Washington Street, 110 S Charles Street, 230 W Washington Street, 222-228 W Washington Street, 216-220 W Washington Street, 206 W Washington Street, 202 W Washington Street, 200 W Washington Street, N Charles Street (attached to 200 W Washington Street).

18. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 400 & 300 Block West Washington Street

Historic District contributing structures: 421 W Washington Street, 319 W Washington Street, 309-311 W Washington Street, 305 W Washington Street, 303 W Washington Street, 301 W Washington Street, 306 W Washington Street, 304 W Washington Street, 302 W Washington Street, and 300 W Washington. Two buildings within the Historic District were demolished in 2012 to construct the CVS.

19. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 400 Block West Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 415 W Congress Street and 422 W Congress Street.

20. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 300 Block West Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 305-307 W Congress Street, 311 W Congress Street, 317 W Congress Street, and 116 S Lawrence Street. One original structure no longer stands.

21. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 200 Block West Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 209 W Congress Street (Wright Denny Elementary), 214 W Congress Street, 208 W Congress Street, and 206 W Congress Street.

22. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 Block West Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 200 S. George Street, 111 W. Congress Street (Etter Hall/Knott Home/old hospital), 115 W. Congress Street (Williams Hall), 120 S. George Street (Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney office), 108 W. Congress Street, 118 W. Congress Street, and 124 W. Congress Street.

23. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 100 Block East Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 202 S. Samuel Street, 109 E. Congress Street, 105 E. Congress Street, and 203 S. George Street.

24. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 200 Block East Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 211 E. Congress Street (Charles Town Baptist Church office), 203 E Congress Street (Charles Town Baptist Church), and 121 S. Samuel Street. Two of the original contributing historic structures no longer stand.

25. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 300 Block East Congress Street

Historic District contributing structures: 301 E. Congress Street (Zion Episcopal Church), 314-316 E. Congress Street, 310 E. Congress Street, 308 E. Congress Street, 304 E. Congress Street, and 121 S. Mildred Street (Zion Episcopal Church Rectory).

26. Downtown Charles Town Historic District: 400 Block East Congress Street

Historic District Contributing Structures: 427 E. Congress Street, 417 E. Congress Street, and 203 S. Church Street.

This Tour is a Virtual Museum or Site Tour.

Downtown Charles Town Historic District

Created by Kathleen Thompson on December 21st 2020, 5:08:15 pm.

Get a QR Code for this tour

Description

Charles Town was laid out and established in the 1780s by Charles Washington around a public square where the Jefferson County Court House stands. In addition to the connection to the Washington family, Charles Town was the site of the 1859 trial and execution of John Brown, several Civil War engagements, the first Rural Free Delivery of Mail in 1896, and the treason trials of Logan County miners and union leaders after the Mine Wars. The Downtown Charles Town Historic District includes the central blocks of the town extending down Washington, Liberty, and Congress Streets. Of the 238 structures documented within the Historic District boundaries, 87% were considered contributing to the historic and architectural nature of the District.

Entries on This Tour

Downtown Charles Town Historic District

Description

Share