Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/16/2016
NRHP Listing Date 08/15/2016
NRHP Reference Number 16000534
Nelson County’s South Rockfish Valley Rural Historic District comprises a 1,620-acre swath of historic farms, agricultural landscapes, small crossroads, and residential communities. The district boasts a well-preserved rural landscape with a continuous tradition of farming since the first half of the 1700s. An exceptionally fertile valley, its agricultural history chronicles the rise of tobacco cultivation for international export from the 18th through the late-19th centuries, the transition to a thriving apple orchard industry from the 1880s through early 1940s, and the present mix of cattle farming and experimentation with viticulture and cider orchards. The South Rockfish Valley Rural Historic District hosts a vibrant collection of 18th-, 19th-, and early-20th-century residences and buildings, representing a variety of vernacular and more formal architectural styles. Particularly noteworthy are several well-preserved late-18th- to early-19th-century farmhouses, including three that are individually listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and National Register of Historic Places, as is the 1908 Wintergreen Country Store. The historic crossroads community of Wintergreen saw a succession of stores, mills, and schools from the 1840s through the early 20th century.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: February 25, 2022
