The Old Thomas James Store is an excellent example of an early-19th-century commercial building now long absent from the rural Virginia landscape. Researchers have identified this building in the Mathews Downtown Historic District as being one of a few surviving antebellum commercial buildings in the South today, and a rare example of a basic commercial establishment. Thomas James appears to have been a prominent citizen in Mathews County, serving as both justice of the peace and postmaster at various times. Early rural stores such as the James Store provided a place for the exchange of crops for goods and a place for socializing with rarely seen neighbors. The store was moved from its original location on Thomas James’s property sometime in the 19th century and then moved again in 1899 to become a secondary building to the Sibley’s Store. Dendrochronological testing has determined that the likely construction date for the Old Thomas James Store was ca. 1820.
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
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