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South Charles Town Historic District

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This is a contributing entry for South Charles Town Historic District and only appears as part of that tour.Learn More.
Historic District contributing structures: 205 South George St., 208 South George St., 216 South George St. (Washington House), 219 South George St., 308 South George St., 311 South George St (301) (Priory), 312 South George St., 313 South George St. (311) (Bishop House/St. James Rectory), 316 South George St., 400 South George St., 401 South George St., 407 South George St., 400 block of South George St. (408?), 421 South George St., 423 South George St., 426 South George St., 502 South George St., 503 South George St., 507 South George St., 512 South George St. (Chew House), 513 South George St., 519 South George St., 523 South George St., 529 South George Street, 530 South George St. (Burns House), 531 South George St., and 611 South George St.

205 S George Street

Plant, Sky, Building, Window

208 S George Street

Car, Sky, Building, Plant

216 S George Street (The Washington House)

Plant, Building, Sky, Property

Samuel Washington House marker

Plant community, Plant, Terrestrial plant, Natural landscape

219 S George Street

Plant, Sky, Building, Property

308 S George Street

Car, Wheel, Plant, Vehicle

301 S George Street

Automotive parking light, Sky, Cloud, Building

312 S George Street

Plant, Building, Sky, Cloud

311 S George Street

Plant, Sky, Property, Window

316 S George Street

Plant, Cloud, Sky, Building

400 S George Street

Plant, Vehicle, Building, Branch

401 S George Street

Car, Plant, Vehicle, Property

407 S George Street

Plant, Cloud, Building, Sky

408 S George Street

Plant, Sky, Building, Tree

421 S George Street

Plant, Window, Building, Tree

423 S George Street

Plant, Building, Sky, Window

426 S George Street

Plant, Sky, Cloud, Building

502 S George Street

Plant, Building, Window, Property

503 S George Street

Car, Land vehicle, Vehicle, Plant

507 S George Street

Plant, Window, Tree, Fence

512 S George Street (Chew House)

Car, Plant, Building, Land vehicle

R Preston Chew

Face, Hair, Forehead, Head

513 S George Street

Car, Plant, Vehicle, Building

519 S George Street

Plant, Property, Window, Building

523 S George Street

Plant, Building, Window, Property

529 S George Street

Plant, Window, Property, Building

530 S George Street

Plant, Building, Window, Sky

531 S George Street

Plant, Building, Window, Property

611 S George Street

Plant, Building, Window, Sky

Map of the South Charles Town Historic District

Schematic, Rectangle, Font, Slope

Contributing structures:

205 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, standing seam metal roof, block foundation. Three bays, 6/6 double-hung sash. Circa 1920. One contributing building.”

208 South George St. “Three story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, standing seam metal roof. Expansive and elegant wrap around front porch with much spindle work and trim. Does not appear to be original to the house. Three front bays with 1/1 double-hung sash. Triple brick courses form the window arches in front. Circa 1890. One contributing building.”

216 South George St. Washington Inn Bed and Breakfast. “Two and a half story Queen Anne house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, asphalt shingles and slate roof. Many adornments and decorative details. Four front bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Rear extension. Decorative gazebo in the front yard. Circa 1880. One contributing building. One non-contributing structure.”

This is known as the Samuel Washington House because it was built in the late nineteenth century by descendants of Samuel Washington, George Washington's brother who also built Harewood just outside of Charles Town. At the time of the National Register of Historic Places nomination, the home was being used as a bed & breakfast called the Washington House Inn. In 2009 the American Public University System purchased the Washington House and renovated it for use as part of their campus.

219 South George St. “Old Methodist Parsonage. Two and one-half story Queen Anne house. Brick exterior, brick foundation, slate and asphalt shingle roof. Three bays, 9/1, 1/1 double-hung sash. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

This home is now part of the Priory of the Annunciation of the Blessing Virgin Mary, home to the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. The Canons are Augustinian monastic priests and they use the church next to this house as their Oratory chapel.

308 South George St. “Two and a half story Gable Front Townhouse. Aluminum and wood exterior, stone foundation, and standing seam metal roof with snowbirds. Three front bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Fish scale shingle trim, ornamental trim at the gable peak. Circa 1920. One contributing building.”

311 South George St (301). “Formerly St. James Catholic Church. Brick exterior, brick foundation, slate and asphalt shingle roof. Three bays, arched windows, fixed sash. Circa 1945. One contributing building.”

This brick church was the home of the Roman Catholic church of St. James the Greater until 2006. The parish's first church was St. Peter's Church in Harpers Ferry, built in 1830 after their initial frame construction was destroyed in a flood before it could be used. This second church on South George Street was constructed and dedicated in 1889, and mass was celebrated twice monthly. Starting in the 1930s population and and membership in the church grew and the St. James became the main church of the parish. In 1995 the parishes of St. James in Charles Town and St. Peter in Harpers Ferry were merged and the congregation quickly outgrew the church on South George Street. St. James constructed a new church building on Crosswinds Drive which was dedicated in 2006, although the parish still holds the rectory next door.

The church is now the Priory of the Annunciation of the Blessing Virgin Mary, home to the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. They were established in 2002 and moved to Charles Town in 2011.

312 South George St. “Two and a half story Colonial Revival house. Dutch lapped wood exterior, stone and block foundation, and standing seam metal roof. Three front bays, 6/6 double-hung sash. Center front attic gable with arched wooden accents. Shed roof over the front porch. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

313 South George St. (311) “Formerly St. James Rectory (Bishop House). Two story Colonial Revival house. Constructed in 1896. Aluminum exterior, foundation not visible, standing seam metal roof. Five bays, 6/6 double-hung sash. Built in 1896. One contributing building.”

The Bishop House was constructed in 1896 by Dr. Jonathan Peale Bishop and is mostly connected to his son, John Peale Bishop (1892-1944) who was an author and poet associated with the "Lost Generation" of writers after WWI. In 1977 the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston purchase the house to serve as the St. James rectory and offices. St. James has moved their church to a new building on Crosswinds Drive, but they retain the rectory here.

316 South George St. “Two and a half story Colonial Revival house. Stucco exterior, block foundation, standing seam metal roof. Five front bays, 1/1 double-hung sash, second story bowed window, center front gable. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

400 South George St. “Two and a half story large Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation and asphalt shingle roof. Recently restored. Six front bays with 1/1 double-hung sash. Triple bay window. Window sills and lintels heavily ornamented. Shady lot with mature trees and intricate landscaping. Circa 1905. One contributing building.”

401 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, standing seam metal roof with snowbirds. Three bays, single entry, paired windows, 6/6 double-hung sash. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

407 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Brick and wood exterior, brick foundation, asphalt shingle roof. Five bays, 1/1 replacement double-hung sash. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

400 block of South George St. (408?) “Two and a half story Italianate house with Ell wing. Undergoing restoration and renovation. Asbestos shingle exterior, stone foundation and standing seam metal roof. Six front bays with some 6/6 double-hung sash. Other windows boarded up. Ornate porch trim and roof brackets. Circa 1890. One contributing building.”

421 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Stucco exterior, standing seam metal roof, stone foundation. Five bays, 2/2 double-hung. Revival detailing on exterior. Circa 1890. One contributing building.”

423 South George St. “Woman’s Club Building. Two and one- half story Colonial Revival/Italianate house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, asphalt shingle roof. Five bays 2/2 double-hung sash. Center entry, center front attic gable. Ornate porch detailing. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

426 South George St. “Two and a half story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, standing seam metal roof. Two assertive gable-roofed front dormers and side winglet. Curved front porch. Three front bays with 6/6 double-hung sash. Circa 1890. One contributing building.”

502 South George St. “Two and a half story eclectic house. Stucco exterior, stone foundation, and asphalt shingle roof. Gable front entry, with classical revival portico. Three front bays with double windows and 1/1 double-hung sash. Circa 1920. One contributing building.”

503 South George St. “Two and one-half story Colonial Revival house. Stucco exterior, stone foundation, standing seam metal roof. Ell-wing entry. Three bays, 2/1 double-hung sash. Circa 1880. One contributing building.”

507 South George St. “Two and one-half story Colonial Revival house. Ell wing. Brick exterior, stone foundation, asphalt shingle roof. Four bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Addition was constructed in 1920. Old wooden building in the rear that may have been slave quarters. Owner believes the wood in the building was harvested in 1860. Circa 1860. Two contributing buildings.”

512 South George St. (Chew House). “Three story Queen Anne house. Wood exterior, stone foundation and standing seam metal roof. Five front bays with double -hung single pane sash. Its three story octagonal tower is distinctive for its open air third floor. The house, or parts of it, could date from 1836. It is built on land that was owned by Charles Washington and sold by his son Samuel to Jacob H. Manning in 1801. Circa 1880. One contributing building.”

Prior to the Civil War, Robert T. Brown owned this home; Brown was the clerk of the circuit court during the John Brown trial in 1859. Colonel Roger Preston Chew, a commander of Confederate artillery during the Civil War and prominent resident of Charles Town in the post-war period, purchased the home after the Civil War.

513 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Wood exterior, stone foundation, standing seam metal roof. Three asymmetrical bays, 6/6 double-hung sash. Substantially older than its neighbors. Perhaps an altered I-House. Circa 1860. One contributing building.”

519 South George St. “Two story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, asphalt shingle roof. Three bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Typical Charles Town architecture featuring revival detailing on a traditional I-house floor plan. Circa 1880. One contributing building.”

523 South George St. “Two and a half story Queen Anne house built by William Moler in 1899. Stucco exterior was added in 1914 over the original wooden lapped siding. Stone foundation and metal roof. Four front bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Built in 1899. One contributing building.”

529 South George Street. “Two and one-half story Colonial Revival house. Exterior of brick and slate, stone foundation, asphalt and metal roof. Two front bays, 1/1 double hung replacement sash. Circa 1900. One contributing building.”

530 South George St. (Burns House). “Three-story Chateauesque house. Whitewashed red brick exterior, foundation obscured, asphalt shingle roof. Four front bays with 1/1 double-hung sash. In 1942 the owner remodeled this traditional Victorian mansion to give it its present Norman appearance. The house includes an elevator and gold leaf wallpaper on the interior foyer walls. Circa 1897, and 1942. One contributing building.”

531 South George St. “Two and one-half story Colonial Revival house. Ell wing. Brick and slate exterior, stone foundation, asphalt and metal roof. 1/1 double-hung replacement sash. Built in 1894. One contributing building.”

611 South George St. “Holly Tree Inn. Two and one half story Colonial Revival house. Brick exterior, stone foundation, asphalt shingle roof. Three front bays, 1/1 double-hung sash. Painted wooden trim. Large rear extension. The house sits back from the street on a spacious and shady lot. Circa 1880. One contributing building.” 

"History of St. James the Greater." Roman Catholic Parish of St. James the Greater. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://stjameswv.org/about-us/st-james/history-of-st-james-the-greater/.

"History of the Canons." Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://www.canonsregular.com/index.php/who-we-are/history.

"National Register of Historic Places Registration Form--South Charles Town Historic District." Accessed February 16, 2021. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/09000733.pdf.

“Walking Tour of Charles Washington’s Town: Walk in the Footsteps of History.” City of Charles Town and Jefferson County Convention & Visitors Bureau. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://s3.amazonaws.com/discoveritallwv.com/JCHS_CTTourBrochure.pdf.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

"Samuel Washington House." The Historical Marker Database. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=132449.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

"R. Preston Chew." Wikipedia. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Preston_Chew.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

Google Maps. Accessed February 17, 2021.

"National Register of Historic Places Registration Form--South Charles Town Historic District." Accessed February 16, 2021. http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/nr/pdf/jefferson/09000733.pdf.