241 Jefferson Avenue

For 32 years, the Queen Anne-style house at 241 Jefferson Avenue, one of several nearly identical late-Victorian houses surviving from a once greater row along Jefferson’s 200 block, was the residence of Robert Smith Phifer (1852-1910), his wife and children. Over the last quarter of the 19th century, up to his death on Jefferson Avenue... Read More

Retrospective

June 3, 2024

Faith Home

It was a lovely spring day when electrician John Jenkins was hoisted up on the company crane to inspect a faulty electric box. And that’s about all he remembers, as it seemed moments later he was in a hospital bed. He had been electrocuted and as a result, plummeted to the ground. He’d been in... Read More

Retrospective

May 9, 2024

The Vault

It is an undeniable fact that when we discuss historic restoration, we invariably ignore the bathroom. The very idea we would consider keeping any older version of one is not possible. Older bathrooms have rusty plumbing and squeaky pipes. Some have broken tiles and faded carpets. And every fixer-upper in HGTV history takes time to... Read More

Retrospective

April 9, 2024

The Grey Lady

It’s April, and that means spring. And for flower lovers, it means the annual Virginia Historic Garden Week. For nearly 100 years, garden clubs celebrate this cherished tradition by showcasing the beauty of Virginia’s historic homes and gardens. In the region, we have a number of houses that have beautiful gardens, but one of our... Read More

Retrospective

March 12, 2024

The Women

At DHS, we are very proud of our extensive community cookbook collection. With more than 100 titles dating back to 1898, the books tell a fascinating story of our culture and region throughout the years. But cookbooks also tell another story: when women wanted to fund something for their church, school, or neighborhood, a local... Read More

Retrospective

February 14, 2024

Forest Hills Elementary

In the United States, there is one holiday that has been both loved and reviled since its inception: Valentine’s Day. Romantic, materialistic, surprising, or passionate; we will not weigh in on this debate. But for those who aren’t enamored, we want to point out a silver lining to this day. It is somewhat refreshing, in... Read More

Retrospective

January 12, 2024

The Bull

It is very easy to miss. About halfway down Floyd Street, between Hotel Danville and the City Auditorium, the head of a terra cotta Hereford bull looks out sleepily over the cobblestones. It is seemingly out of place, both for the building it’s on, but also because windows were cut into the building long after... Read More

Retrospective

241 Jefferson Avenue

Faith Home

The Vault

The Grey Lady

The Women

Forest Hills Elementary

The Bull

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