The Virginian Building
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Late twentieth-century view of the Virginian Building
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Giles County Courthouse, which was constructed in 1836, is the third oldest building in Pearisburg and the last building constructed in the eighteenth-century that still stands today. The Virginian Building, located directly across the street from the courthouse, is the fourth oldest building that still stands in town. Built by local banker C. L. King, the building originally housed The Bank of Giles. The first floor was used by tellers, and the second floor was used as an office space. In 1906, when the bank reorganized as The First National Bank of Pearisburg and relocated to 103 N. Main Street, the building housed the publishing offices of The Pearisburg Virginian, a local newspaper which was published beginning in the same year.
The Pearisburg Virginian replaced a previous publication titled the Weekly Pearisburg Virginian (1877-1906), which itself replaced the Pearisburg Gazette (1866-1877). The Pearisburg Virginian was published from 1906-1951. One rival of the Pearisburg Virginian was the Virginian Leader, which began publication in 1857 and which remains in publication today.
On December 11th, 1991, the building was added to the Virginia Landmark Registry as one of nineteen buildings (including the previously added Giles County Courthouse) comprising the Pearisburg Historic District. On January 30th, 1992, the building was additionally listed to the National Register of Historic Places for its commercial significance in the growth and development of Pearisburg in the early-twentieth century and for its architecture. The building features elaborate brick corbelling in the parapet, brick piers dividing the facade into three bays, and segmental arched windows.
Sources
Kern, John. Pearisburg Historic District, National Register of Historic Places. January 30th 1992. Accessed October 23rd 2019. https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/VLR_to_transfer/PDFNoms/279-0012_Pearisburg_Historic_District_1992_Final_Nomination.pdf.
Pearisburg Gazette, Library of Congress. Accessed October 23rd 2019. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85034385/.
Pearisburg, Virginia (Newspapers), Roadside Thoughts. Accessed October 23rd 2019. https://roadsidethoughts.com/va/pearisburg-xx-giles-localpapers.htm.
https://www.dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/279-0012/