Virginia State Seal Virginia Department of Historic Resources

132-5027 Staunton Steam Laundry

Staunton Steam Laundry
Photo credit: Benjamin White, 2022

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For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 06/16/2022

NRHP Listing Date 08/18/2022

NRHP Reference Number SG100008023

Located in the Shenandoah Valley, the well-preserved Staunton Steam Laundry, is an example of a 20th-century commercial steam laundry in the City of Staunton that, at its height, employed over 125 people and provided service for a customer base that extended to the Virginia cities of Winchester, Roanoke, and Charlottesville, and even the West Virginia city of Charleston. The local neighborhoods were rumored to set their watches according to the steam whistle that governed the employee shift changes. The three buildings in the Staunton Steam Laundry complex mirror the expansion and evolution of the commercial laundry industry from 1928 to 1964 and features large windows to provide access to sunlight and proper ventilation, poured concrete floors to aid in fire prevention and support heavy machinery, multiple loading and unloading docks, and open interior spaces designed to house specialized equipment. Staunton Steam Laundry ceased operations in 2020.


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Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark


Updated: January 5, 2023