The Virginia Landmarks Register is adding seven new historic sites to the commonwealth’s list of landmarks, including one in Fauquier County.
The Saunders House in Warrenton was built during the Reconstruction period in 1870 to help protect the Saunders family’s assets from creditors.
“Designed in the Italianate architectural style, the house features a floorplan that is notably popular in rural parts of Fauquier County,” according to the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
More New Landmarks
Other historic sites now on the Virginia Landmarks Register include:
- 2108 Jefferson Ave., Newport News: This building was home to multiple African American owned and operated restaurants. It is also a landmark under The Negro Traveler’s Green Book in Virginia. It’s currently the site of Pearlie’s Restaurant.
- Ames-Old Farm in Suffolk: Built in 1815, this farmhouse showcases the evolution of “shifting domestic and agricultural needs at the turn of the 20th century.”
- Henry Clay Elementary School in Ashland: The Colonial Revival–style school was initially built in 1934 for white students. It evolved into one of the “most architecturally distinctive schools” in the county and closed in 2024.
- Montvale High School in Bedford County: Originally constructed in 1930 for white students in grades 1 through 12, this school represented the state’s push to improve public education in rural Virginia.
- Randolph-Macon Woman’s College Historic District in Lynchburg: The 53-acre campus was one of the earliest and longest-operating women’s colleges in the South.
- Fishburn Park Keeper’s Cottage in Roanoke: This 19th-century cottage is possibly the oldest surviving building with the city of Roanoke, and showcases the period’s hewn-log farmhouse design.
The Virginia Landmarks Register features more than 3,000 sites on its official list, all which are “places of historic, architectural, archaeological, and cultural significance.” While history buffs will want to explore these new additions, beware that many of the state landmarks are not open to the public and many tend to be private dwellings. However, they are often visible from public streets and sidewalks.
Feature image of Saunders House by Aubrey Von Lindern/DHR, 2025
