Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/16/1980
NRHP Listing Date 11/28/1980
NRHP Reference Number 80004173
Occupying a conspicuous location on the edge of Bristol’s commercial district, the Bristol Railroad Station, originally known as the Bristol Union Railway Station, was constructed in 1902. The stone-and-brick structure is one of the last surviving examples of a series of depots built before World War I by Norfolk and Western Railway workers for the company’s rapidly expanding system. The contractor was John Pettyjohn of Lynchburg; George Pettyjohn, his brother, was supervisor of construction. Successfully blending Romanesque and European vernacular idioms, the building, with its authoritative hipped-roof end pavilion, exhibits a degree of architectural sophistication rarely found in the passenger stations of other medium-size Virginia cities. The station stood unoccupied for several years after the termination of passenger service and was converted to a shopping mall in the 1980s. After a successful rehabilitation, the building now serves as a meeting place for local organizations and event center.
[Photo credit: Mike Pulice/DHR, 2009]
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: March 26, 2021
