Centered around the tiny settlement of Cifax in a scenic area of Bedford County, the 1800-acre Cifax Rural Historic District defines a cultural landscape reflecting the region’s two-century agricultural history. The tangible elements of that history include the farm complexes and their boundaries, a network of tree-lined roads, and 19th- and early-20th-century houses and farm structures dotting the hillsides. The dwellings and their dependencies include those of prosperous landowners along with simpler residences of farmers and laborers. Sprinkled among the farms are early schools and churches that served all levels of society. The focal point of Cifax is a fine Greek Revival brick farmhouse known as The Cedars, erected ca. 1855 for Anderson Poindexter, a member of one of the area’s leading families. Also within the Cifax Rural Historic District is a historic African American settlement known as Scotchbroom City.
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
Programs
DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia