The Spout Spring House is one of the oldest homes still standing within the original 16 squares of Blacksburg. It was first owned by a saddlemaker, John Spicard. Like many other artisans in the area who depended on access to water for their craft, Spicard required ample amounts of water for tanning leather. He constructed the house close to Spout Spring, Blacksburg's main water supply.The layout of the home consists of a central entry with an early porch that leads into the large room at the northwest end. The room features a brick chimney with a simple pilastered Federal-style mantel with square moldings. In the early 20th Century, a staircase with turned balusters and elaborate newels was added into the smaller southwest parlor. The vertical board-covered frame outbuilding at the rear is a meat house, where meat was cured with salt, which dates to the 19th Century.

A saddlemaker built this home in the 1840s, selecting a location near the Scout Spring. 

Video

The Spout Spring House is a well-preserved parlor house located within Blacksburg's original 16 blocks. The two-story, three-bay structure was constructed in the 1840s and is a contributing structure in the Blacksburg Historic District. It was first owned by a saddlemaker who built his home next to Spout Spring for easy access to water. At the rear of the structure, towards the east, is a 19th-Century meat house.

Spout Spring House (Stop K)

Institution

Take a self-guided walking tour featuring the fascinating historic sites at the heart of Blacksburg, Virginia. Blacksburg was officially established on January 13, 1798. A year earlier, William Black laid out a 16-block grid of streets and lots on a portion of the land he inherited from his father, Samuel Black. Present-day Draper Road, Jackson Street, Wharton Street, and Clay Street demarcate the boundaries of the original town. Today, the 16 squares represented in the town's logo, serving as a reminder of Blacksburg's rich past.

Prior to World War II, there were scores of auto manufacturers operating throughout the nation, and over a hundred dealerships, many of which were involved in some aspects of the manufacturing business. These dealers-manufacturers assembled automobiles using engines, chassis, and other parts from major manufacturers, often adding a bit of their own flair. The Heavener brothers moved their business to the 400 Main Street location in 1924, near the railroad tracks. After the 1933 fire, the building was quickly reconstructed with an addition. A brick structure with a metal roof, the building is in the Art Moderne/Art Deco style, featuring tin ceilings, arches, and terrazzo floors. For several decades, the dealership embedded itself into Blacksburg life; the Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department once housed its fire trucks at the company, which proved convenient during the 1933 fire, and the Volunteer Rescue Squad purchased its first vehicle from the company. The Heavener brothers operated the company until 1976. The building served a variety of functions related to the automotive industry -- a filling station, a tire store, a Chevrolet dealership, and a repair shop until the Town of Blacksburg purchased it in 2007. The town performed historic rehabilitation to use the building for municipal purposes. These renovations earned the town the Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. The National Register of Historic Places added the building in 2008.

Brothers Robert and Mason Heavener, from a significant Montgomery County family, built the Blacksburg Motor Company and opened a shop at this 400 South Main Street location in 1924. The company was at the forefront of the transition to automotive transportation in Blacksburg. The building was damaged by fire in 1933, but despite the Great Depression, the company was able to quickly rebuild. The rehabilitated structure took on elements of the art deco style. For the rest of the twentieth century, the building served as a variety of automotive businesses. The city of Blacksburg purchased the building in 2007, undertook an environmentally-conscious historic rehabilitation of the building, and added a historic marker telling the history of the Blacksburg Motor Company.

Blacksburg Motor Company Building (Stop C)

The train line that passed through this site in the nineteenth century connected Blacksburg to Christiansburg and also connected the Merrimac Mine to the rail network. Blacksburg was not situated on a main spur of the railroad, but in 1845, Cambria became a stop on the Virginia-Tenessee railroad line. The "Huckleberry" was a rail spur line which led from Cambria to Blacksburg, so named because of the large quantities of huckleberries growing along the tracks. When the train stalled, passengers jumped off to pick wild berries along the route. This small rail line was designed to haul coal, but also offered passenger service and was the main rail service for the city until 1922. The Huckleberry made its last run in 1958 but faculty in the horticulture department of Virginia Tech saw the potential of the former rail line and converted it into a nature trail. The trail is now eight miles long and passes through the former Merrimac mine, now open as Coal Mining Heritage Park. The Blacksburg branch of Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library moved to this location next to the trail in 1988, into an existing building, and was renovated in 1996. The Huckleberry Trail passes the north side of the building.

The Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library (MFRL) is a public library offering resources and services in order to provide an enriching learning environment for residents of the local community. It is located on the former site of the Blacksburg's first train depot, a simple wooden structure that no longer stands. The Huckleberry Line, hauling coal and eventually transporting passengers, ran near this spot from the mid-1800s until the 1950s. After the line's closure the faculty of the horticulture department at Virginia Tech converted it into an eight-mile trail. Reflecting the history of this location, the library was designed to resemble a train depot when it was renovated in 1996. 

Huckleberry Depot and Trail; Montgomery-Floyd Regional Library

The Phillips-Ronald House is notable as it is one of only five one-story houses of the double-pile center-passage form built during the mid-nineteenth century. The house was added to the NHRP and designated a VLR in 1989 owing to its unique design. It has a hipped roof and, as the name suggests, five chimneys. The four major chimneys are located along the side walls. Additionally, it features a three-bay central entrance porch. The property owned by John R. Philips, a merchant and physician, who purchased the land from Alexander Black. Though no deed of the purchase exists, there is a record of a lawsuit over Philips' failure to pay Black $1,000 for the eighteen-acre tract of land. Philips practiced medicine in Blacksburg and owned a dry goods store in 1849 on Water Street. He also owned a medical library and directed both the Blacksburg Savings Bank and Olin Preston Institute (now Virginia Tech). On April 14, 1853, Philips sold one and a half acres of land to brothers Charles A. Ronald and Nicholas M. Ronald for $1,000. Owing to a serious business failure, Philips left the Blacksburg area by 1860. Nicholas Ronald was a merchant and banker. His brother was the town's only lawyer. The home appears to have been used by Sarah Kent, the widowed sister of the Ronald brothers. She lived in the home until 1889. In 1891, the house was transferred from Charles Ronald to O. C. Peters to pay off a debt—it is thought the porch was added at this time. Following a succession of owners, the horticulturist A. G. Smith acquired the home in 1936. The contributing structure, a frame garage, was added in the 1930s during Smith's residence here. He lived in the house until his death in 1986. Smith had sold the home with life interest several years prior to a buyer who resold the home to the Town of Blacksburg in 1986. The front lawn underwent an extensive landscaping effort in the 1930s which revealed significant archaeological deposits. These included features pertaining to the mid-nineteenth century construction and occupation of the house, a brick and limestone walkway, ceramic artifacts, and items related to food preparation.

The Philips-Ronald House is a historic home within the original sixteen squares of Blacksburg. It is also known as the Carrington Lybrook House and Five Chimneys House. Built between 1851 and 1852, the one-story brick dwelling is distinguished by the multiple eponymous chimneys. A contributing frame garage dating to the 1930s is also on the property, which is listed on both the Virginia Landmarks Registry and the National Register of Historic Places.

Phillips-Ronald House

The Alexander Black House &amp; Cultural Center is a historic home administered by the Blacksburg Museum &amp; Cultural Foundation. BM&amp;CF runs two museums in the Blacksburg area, the other being St. Lukes &amp; Old Fellows Hall. The structure serves as a museum, gallery, and meeting facility. Part of the home is dedicated to memorializing the life of Alexander Black, while the rest of the space serves as a community center and as space for art and history exhibits. Also on-site are special event accommodations, gardens, and cultural heritage programs. This historic home is located on Draper Road, named after the frontier farming area, Drapers Meadow (est. mid-1700). Samuel Black purchased 650 acres at Drapers Meadow, though he never inhabited the land. Upon his death in 1792&nbsp;the property was split between his sons, William and John Black. In 1798, William set aside 38 acres of this land to establish the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. He would eventually move to Ohio, but his descendants continued to occupy the town. One such descendant was Alexander Black, a successful local businessman and the founder of the National Bank of Blacksburg. He lived in a modest two-story house on Main Street until a fire destroyed the property in 1896. Later that year, construction began on a new residence—a Queen Anne Style Victorian structure with steep cross-gabled roofs, gingerbread trim, and a turret. The house remained in the Black family until Alexander's death in 1935. Its prominent location on Main Street lent itself to commercial use, so the home was sold to Oakey's Funeral Home, and later to the McCoy Funeral Home. In 2002, development efforts on Main Street meant that the Alexander Black House was in danger of destruction. The Town of Blacksburg purchased the home and relocated it to a grassy knoll on Draper Road. Glavé &amp; Holmes Architecture (G&amp;HA) restored the exterior of the building to its late-19th-Century appearance, making necessary modifications and additions to provide for its new function, while still maintaining its historical integrity. The project serves as a successful example of public-private partnership.

The Alexander Black House & Cultural Center is a museum, gallery, and meeting facility operated by the Blacksburg Museum & Cultural Center. The historic home was constructed in 1897. It was once the residence of Alexander Black—a descendent of William Black, whose land was used to establish the town of Blacksburg, Virginia. In 2002, the Queen Anne Victorian style home was relocated to its current location on Draper Road. It was moved in order to prevent its destruction during development activity on Main Street.

Alexander Black House & Cultural Center

The site of the Armory was once the location of the Blackburg Public Schools. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) constructed the building as a National Guard Armory in 1936. A historical marker resides at the site. The second Blacksburg High School, built in 1916, stands behind the armory, and after the passing of the building's use for military training, used the armory as an auditorium. Until the 1960s it was the location of school and community events as varied as a speech clinic run by the Blacksburg Elementary School and performance by Grand Ole Opry singer Margaret Carson in the 1950s. Virginia Polytechnic Institute (the name of Virginia Tech from 1944 to 1970) and the town of Blacksburg jointly owned the building for a time around the 1960s. The School of Visual Arts at Virginia Tech maintains offices and gallery space in the Armory. As part of the Arts Initiative, Virginia Tech renovated the space in 2007. The building's large mezzanine provides a setting for many art exhibitions while the rest of the building serves as secondary galleries, workspaces, and classrooms. The museum also offers a variety of exhibits drawn from the work of regional artisans, displays of faculty and student work, and exhibits of regional artists that were created as part of the university's Summer Arts Festival. The Armory Art Gallery is free and open to the public.

Built by the Works Progress Administration in 1936 during the Great Depression as a National Guard Armory, Blackburn's armory has served as a place for military training, a high school auditorium, community function venue, and a public gymnasium over the past several decades. For a time Virginia Tech and the town of Blacksburg jointly owned the building, but it is now owned solely by the university, which renovated it in 2007 as part of an Arts Initiative. Today, the building is home to one of Virginia Tech's art galleries and features exhibits drawn from the work of students, faculty, and area artists. 

Old Armory/Armory Gallery of Art 

Located at the intersection of Lee and Main streets in Blacksburg, Virginia is a historic structure dating back to 1847. Originally a Presbyterian church, it is the oldest surviving building on Main Street. The majority of the town's early residences were Presbyterians or Methodists. Congregations from these denominations built a number of churches in Blacksburg, including this example which was shared by both. Built of brick for a cost of $1,500, there were once two entrances (one for men and another for women). Today, the building houses a restaurant which serves Baja-style Mexican cuisine and cocktails.

Cabo Fish Taco (1st Presbyterian) (Stop E)

Since its establishment in 1798, Blacksburg has grown well beyond its original limits. The original town of Blacksburg occupied sixteen square blocks, each made up of four lots. These lots are bounded by Jackson Street on the northwest side, Wharton Street on the northeast, Draper Road on the southwest, and Clay Street on the southeast. Within the square are several main thoroughfares including Main Street, Church Street, Roanoke, and Lee. Many of the streets terminate in T-intersections (nine in total), which help give an idea of the limits of the original town.

In the middle of what is now Main Street was one of the first buildings on the campus of the institution now known as Virginia Tech. The street curved around the structure and this building pattern is still visible where College Avenue crosses Main. At the highest point along this road is Blacksburg United Methodist. Main Street once ended in a T-intersection. This street is pedestrian-friendly and is home to restaurants, many of which offer live music; particularly popular are the weekly jam sessions at Market Square Park. Points of interest along Main Street include the Lyric Theater (built 1922/1934) and the Blacksburg Post Office.

Main Street

Since its establishment in 1798, Blacksburg has grown well beyond its original limits. The original town of Blacksburg occupied sixteen square blocks, each made up of four lots. These lots are bounded by Jackson Street on the northwest side, Wharton Street on the northeast, Draper Road on the southwest, and Clay Street on the southeast. Within the square are several main thoroughfares including Main Street, Church Street, Roanoke, and Lee. Many of the streets terminate in T-intersections (nine in total), which help give an idea of the limits of the original town.

Church Street was perhaps intended to serve as Blacksburg's main street. This road terminates in T-intersections on either end. Like other T-intersections in Blacksburg, buildings are situated at the end of those on Church Street. At the intersection between Church and Jackson is the Old Town Hall. The intersection between Church and Clay Street is the site of the old Blacksburg Middle School. In the 1800s, Church Street would have been the location of a mixture of residences, hotels, stores, and student housing. Points of interest along Church Street include Christ Episcopal Church (built 1875-79) and the Blacksburg United Methodist Church (built 1906).

Church Street (Stop F)

Blacksburg has always had many churches. In 1832, approximately two dozen charter members from the Christiansburg Presbyterian Church organized the first church in the town proper. The brick structure they constructed at 117 South Main Street has not been used in a religious capacity for many years. In 1904, the congregation built another church on Roanoke Street. This building is now used by the First Church of God, whose congregation was formed in 1952 to serve Virginia Tech. The FCG purchased the former Presbyterian church following a 1958 fire that destroyed their previous location. The only items to survive the fire are the current communion table and several beams. The beams were fashioned into the cross that hangs at the front of the Sanctuary.

The Third Presbyterian Church, now the Blacksburg First Church of God, was constructed in 1904. It was sold to the First Church of God in 1959 after a fire destroyed their original church building on the corner of Draper and Roanoke Streets (today the site of a 7-11) in 1958. The building is within Blacksburg's original sixteen squares and is distinguishable by Tiffany stained glass windows. Presently, the Presbyterians worship at sanctuary on Eakin Street that houses one of the largest congregations in town.

First Church of God (Third Presbyterian Church)

Blacksburg is known as the home of Virginia Polytechnic and State University (Virginia Tech). Established in 1872, VT began as a land grant military institute but soon became a traditional four-year college. In the mid-1960s, President T. Marshall Hahn led an effort to transform the college into a large research university. During this process, an influx of students and faculty members moved to Blacksburg, many of whom were Jewish academics. The new arrivals largely came from northern cities with major Jewish communities. The small town of Blacksburg, however, had no organized Jewish life. Early arrivals would drive 40 miles to Roanoke for services and religious school. Consequently, a small group of women (many of them married to faculty members at VT or Radford College) began monthly meetings in 1973 in Elaine Kalison's home. During these meetings, they coordinated the purchase of kosher meat from Charlotte, North Carolina, spoke about the challenges of raising Jewish children in Blacksburg, and discussed how to spread awareness about Judaism in local public schools. The group soon became known as the Jewish Women's Group. During Chanukah of 1973, the Jewish Woman's Group began to organize community activities, such as Marcia Shumsky's "Chanukah Sale," which provided Jewish families with holiday necessities not otherwise available locally. The first annual Chanukah potluck dinner had more than 75 attendees and integrated many families into the community. The following year saw the organization of a Sunday school, with several Virginia Tech students serving as educators. Marvin Blecher, Hillel Advisor at Virgina Tech, coordinated the recruitment effort. The Sunday school met in the Squires Student Center on the university's campus. By the mid-1970s, the growth of Blacksburg's Jewish community prompted the development of community-wide worship services, an effort headed by Harvey Rosenberg, David Kaplain, Marvin Blecher, and Larry Perlmuter. During this time, there were heated debates over issues such as the role of women during religious services. The relatively small size of the non-denominational congregation, however, meant that Jewish persons from a variety of traditions had to work together to resolve their differences. The congregation's membership increased to about 20 families in 1979, prompting the decision to purchase a building for dedicated use. The financial support of a group of families called the Maccabee Investment Group made possible the purchase of the old Blacksburg Christian Church and Odd Fellows Lodge. The building, originally constructed as a Baptist church, was within walking distance of Virginia Tech. Additionally, it was situated in a central location in town, meaning it would promote the visibility of Blacksburg's Jewish community. The congregation worked to clean and restore the historic structure to make transform it into a synagogue. Known as the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center, the presence of the new building was an important step toward the integration of the Jewish residents into the larger Blacksburg community. This lay-led, egalitarian, unaffiliated synagogue serves families living in Blacksburg and New River Valley, including the nearby towns of Christiansburg, Radford, and Floyd. The BJCC offers a wide range of Jewish activities, from Shabbat services to monthly potluck lunches (continuing the potluck tradition established in the 70s).

The Jewish community in Blacksburg began to develop during the late 1960s owing to the growth of the university. By 1976, the small community had organized an informal, non-denominal congregation. They soon began searching for a building in which to offer services, ideally one which was within walking distance of Virginia Tech and located near the center of Blacksburg. The structure at the intersection of Roanoke and Church Street was constructed in 1903 as a Baptist Church. It was purchased and renovated by Blacksburg's Jewish families in 1979. Today, it houses the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center (BJCC), a lay-led unaffiliated synagogue that offers a wide range of Jewish activities. 

Blacksburg Jewish Community Center

In 1785, following the American Revolutionary War, the Protestant Episcopal Church emerged out of former colonial Anglican churches. The Episcopal Diocese of Virginia was established, though it struggled to retain membership after the passage of the Acts of Disestablishment. The Acts, issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, resulted in the seizure of church property—including the glebes on which the clergy resided. Episcopal churches experienced the lowest ebb in the early 19th Century. Consequently, missionary efforts to establish Episcopal churches west of the Blue Ridge Mountains began in the 1840s and 50s. Missionary activity occurred in the area of Blacksburg where, during the Revolutionary War, attempts to form an Anglican congregation were stymied. The majority of the English-speaking populace in the area of Blacksburg were Methodists or Presbyterians. These groups felt discriminated against by the Church of England. Many of members of these denominations were not receptive to the newly-established Episcopal Church. Nevertheless, in 1858, Christ Church was founded, largely owing to the work of a missionary priest of the Diocese of Virginia. Members of the Preston Family of Smithfield were also instrumental to this effort. The outbreak of the Civil War curtailed missionary work in the New River Valley and delayed the construction of Christ Church. Work on the edifice did not begin until about 1874. This structure, designed by New York architect Emlyn Littel, was the first church in the county to reject the simple nave plan in favor of a side entry, chancel, and pointed windows. Additionally, it incorporates Gothic decorative and structure motifs, such as exposed wood roof trusses and buttresses. The first service was held in March 1875, and the structure was consecrated on September 25, 1887, by the Right Reverend Alfred M. Randolph, assistant Bishop of Virginia. Since then, the interior of Christ Church has changed very little—with the exception of an added brass lectern and pulpit, as well as an altar to replace the original communion table and the repositioning of organ pipes. The exterior has received several additions: in 1934, a bell tower was erected under the supervision of noted collegiate and ecclesiastical architect, Ralph Adams Cram; a parish house was constructed in 1942; an educational wing was completed in 1972; the present parish hall was built in 1990. Finally, in 2011 and 2012, Christ Church underwent a restoration effort to restore the church buildings to their original appearance. Christ Episcopal Church is one of 137 contributing structures (and 2 contributing sites) within the Blacksburg Historic District in Montgomery County. The district, which encompasses an area of 72 acres, includes commercial, residential, and institutional buildings in a variety of architectural styles. Blacksburg's Historic District was designated a Virginia Historical Landmark in 1989 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

Located in Blacksburg, Virginia, Christ Episcopal Church was built as part of missionary efforts to establish Episcopal churches west of the Blue Ridge Mountains during the mid-1800s. This particular church was founded in 1858, though the outbreak of the Civil War delayed construction on the edifice until circa 1874. The building has seen a number of additions over the years, including a 1934 bell tower erected under the supervision of noted collegiate and ecclesiastical architect, Ralph Adams Cram. Christ Church is a contributing structure within the Blacksburg Historic District.

Christ Episcopal Church

William Black, the founder and namesake of Blacksburg, donated the 37 acres if land on which the original town was built. The Old Town Hall was constructed on the site of Black's log house, which stood from the 1780s to 1800s. In 1998, the building underwent a $350,000 renovation. At the time, structure housed Blacksburg's police department. The work repaired leaking holes in the ceiling and cracks in the exterior brick. Today, the structure is the location of the Sustainability Office.

The Old Town Hall in Blacksburg, Virginia is a historic structure dating back to the 1920s. It was constructed on the site of a log house owned by William Black (for whom Blacksburg is named). The structure was originally built to be a general store. Prior to the 1960s, it housed all the government offices for the town. 

Old Town Hall

During the 1800s, the Croy family owned many lots on the blocks between Jackson and Lee. The family ran a number of businesses within the town. Adam Croy, the original owner of the home at 103 South Penn Street, was the sexton of the Blacksburg Methodist Church. As sexton, he blew a horn that alerted people when it was time for church services to begin. Croy built the two-story, single-pen log house sometime in the early nineteenth century on lots 37 and 38, which he bought from the trustees of the town of Blacksburg. According to local tradition, a Dr. Philips bought the home and moved it across the street where it stands today. Philips had the home dismantled, after which the numbered logs were rolled across the street and reassembled. During the process, the home received an L-shaped addition and a brick chimney. In the 1900s, the central door was filled in to serve as a bookcase and the entryway was relocated to the northwest bay of the formerly-symmetrical three-bay facade.

The Smith-Montgomery House located at 103 South Penn Street is a historic home within Blacksburg's original sixteen squares. It was built by Adam Croy, whose family owned many lots on the blocks between Jackson and Lee during the 1800s. According to local tradition, the home was moved across the street from its original location after its purchase by a Dr. Philips. Neither the date nor the reason for the relocation are known.

Smith-Montgomery House (Andy Croy House) (Stop Q)

Prior to the Civil War, African-Americans (both free and enslaved) often attended services in primarily-white churches. The law in Virginia prohibited slaves from assembling for worship unless under the supervision of a white preacher. In many of these churches, slaves and freemen were restricted to a balcony section, while white congregants sat in the pews. During the Civil War, Black religious activities were highly regulated, owing to fears that slaves would leave to serve in the Union Army. After the war, racial tensions between Blacks and whites facilitated the establishment of Black churches. St. Paul AME came about as the result of an AME minister's efforts to organize Black members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South (today Blacksburg United Methodist Church). White methodists wanted to help the new St. Paul AME and shared their building. Today's St. Paul AME was constructed in 1901 on the site of a previous AME church, no longer extant. A few years later, the building was coated in stucco. This church still houses an active congregation today.

St. Paul AME has served its primarily African-American congregation in Blacksburg since the Civil War era. The congregation of mostly former slaves built their first church building in the late 1870s or early 1880s at the site of the current building. The current chapel was constructed in 1901 and is still in use today. During this era, African Americans were building churches throughout the nation. Despite the racial tensions that necessitated the creation of separate institutions, Black churches and schools served as foundations for African American communities following the Civil War. 

St. Paul AME Church (Stop R)

Price House is one of several historic homes in the original 16-block area of the town of Blacksburg. Constructed in the 1840s, the oldest portion of the structure faces Wharton Street. Preston and Olin Institute President, Robert Nelson Conrad, lived here when the telegraph was delivered announcing that Blacksburg would be awarded a land-grant for a college, now called Virginia Tech. During the 1870s, former Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (VAMC) president Thomas Nelson Conrad (1837-1905), resided in this house. Conrad served as a Confederate spy during the American Civil War. He is notable for being part of an unsuccessful attempt to kidnap President Abraham Lincoln. In 1892, Conrad penned A Confederate Spy: A Story of the Civil War, a memoir detailing his experiences during the conflict. He later revised his autobiography into the 1904 work The Rebel Scout: A Thrilling History of Scouting Life in the Southern Army. During his tenure at VAMC, the college switched from semesters to the quarter system and the school's farm became financially successful for the first time. Walter Price and Lucie Price purchased the house in 1900. Nelson Price was born in the house and married Jeanne Wainwright Price. The couple lived in the home until they died in the 1980s. Following Nelson Price's death in 1985, the historic building was subsequently donated to the Town of Blacksburg. His iris garden is still maintained for residents to enjoy. Since 2009, the Price House has served as the home of Seek Education, Explore DiScover (SEEDS), a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a discovery-oriented learning environment. SEEDS runs and finances the nature center in cooperation with the Town of Blacksburg Parks and Recreation and the Virgina Tech Department of Biological Sciences Outreach Program. The organization runs week-long day camps and programs during the summer to promote interest in the region's ecology and culture.

Price House is a historic home on the northeast edge of Blacksburg's original 16 squares. The two-story log and frame house was constructed in the 1840s for James Kent and valued at $300. Thomas N. Conrad, the third president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, resided at this location in the 1870s. Today, the Price House serves as the headquarters for SEEDS, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting interest in the region's ecology and culture. 

Price House & Garden Park (Stop N)

The southwestern end of Lee Street terminates in a T-intersection and, like other examples in Blacksburg's original sixteen squares, there is a building facing the intersection. The highest point within these bounds is located where Lee Street and Wharton Street meet. This spot can be seen from Main Street. Points of interest on Lee Street include Cabo Fish Taco (originally the Blacksburg Presbyterian Church #1 built in 1847) on the north corner of Church and Lee, as well as a number of historic homes dating to the early 1900s.

Lee Street

The Spout Spring House is one of the oldest homes still standing within the original 16 squares of Blacksburg. It was first owned by a saddlemaker, John Spicard. Like many other artisans in the area who depended on access to water for their craft, Spicard required ample amounts of water for tanning leather. He constructed the house close to Spout Spring, Blacksburg's main water supply. The layout of the home consists of a central entry with an early porch that leads into the large room at the northwest end. The room features a brick chimney with a simple pilastered Federal-style mantel with square moldings. In the early 20th Century, a staircase with turned balusters and elaborate newels was added into the smaller southwest parlor. The vertical board-covered frame outbuilding at the rear is a meat house, where meat was cured with salt, which dates to the 19th Century.

Blacksburg, Virginia Downtown History Walking Tour

Spout Spring House (Stop K)

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information