Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/06/2000
NRHP Listing Date 06/30/2005
NRHP Reference Number 05000642
Carl’s, a well-known landmark to residents of Fredericksburg, is a retail ice cream stand that has served cones, shakes, and sundaes to satisfied customers since 1953, the year Carl Sponseller opened the business on Princess Anne Street. Art Moderne in style, the concrete-block, flat-roofed building with large plate-glass windows and a colorful neon sign on top was originally known as Carl’s Frozen Custard. Carl’s is a well-preserved example of commercial roadside architecture of the 1950s, a time when the American love of the automobile led to the establishment of eateries that catered to the fast-moving public along major roadways.
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: July 8, 2022
