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New Sites Added to VA Landmarks Register

 Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources has added five new sites to the Virginia Landmarks Register. 

  When the department decides to add a landmark to the register it considers four main criteria. Randy Jones, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, says those criteria are, “First criteria is a property is associated with broad patterns of events in our history; the second is a property may be associated with the lives of persons who are significant in our past; a property can reveal distinct characteristics- either high style or vernacular architecture, and a property can be associated with archaeological resources at the site that are important.”

That last one, archaeological significance, is how the Foster Site on the University of Virginia campus made the cut. Jones says, “Its importance was that it was an antebellum site associated with a free black family and a free black community.”

The other sites include the Tavern at Old Church in Hanover County, the two story Ashwood School in Bath County, Roland E Cook Elementary School in Roanoke County, and the Roanoke City Health Center. Jones said that while the distinction is largely an honorary one, it can also provide significant educational benefit to the communities involved and some tax relief for the property owners. 

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