Virginia Department of Historic Resources
(dhr.virginia.gov)
For Immediate Release
January 9, 2025

Contact:
Ivy Tan
Department of Historic Resources
Marketing & Communications Manager
ivy.tan@dhr.virginia.gov
804-482-6445

7 New State Historical Highway Markers Approved

—Markers cover topics in the counties of Grayson, Southampton, Buckingham, and Fairfax; and in the cities of Danville, Roanoke, and Alexandria—

—Text of each marker reproduced below—

PLEASE NOTE: DHR creates markers not to “honor” their subjects but rather to educate and inform the public about a person, place, or event of regional, state, or national importance. In this regard, erected markers are not memorials.

RICHMOND – The Department of Historic Resources (DHR) has announced seven new historical markers coming to roadsides in Virginia. The markers will recall various topics in the Commonwealth’s history, including the changes that occurred following the Civil War and their effect on Black Virginians in the late 19th century; the founding and growth of a Korean American community in Northern Virginia after World War II; and the stories of two pioneering leaders whose legacies impacted the state’s commercial and healthcare industries.

The Virginia Board of Historic Resources approved the markers on December 12, 2024, during its quarterly meeting in Richmond hosted by DHR.

Built circa 1796 across from the Southampton County courthouse, Mahone’s Tavern served as a hub for political and social activity for over a century. Known as Kello’s Tavern early in the 1800s, it provided a haven for citizens and an encampment for soldiers during the time of Nat Turner’s insurrection in 1831. From 1841 to 1855, the tavern was operated by Fielding J. Mahone, the father of William Mahone, the Confederate major general who famously became a leader of the biracial Readjuster Party after the Civil War. William, who was also a railroad magnate and U.S. senator, lived in the tavern during his youth. In the 1860s, the tavern was the childhood home of John J. Kindred, a five-term congressman from New York. Also known as Howard’s Hotel, the building achieved designation in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Events during the Reconstruction era and their impact on Black people in 19th-century Virginia ground two new markers:

• Founded between 1868 and 1873 by emancipated African Americans with the help of local White Baptists who had supported the Union during the Civil War, Riverhill Baptist Church in Grayson County is one of the oldest Black congregations in the southwestern region of Virginia. In 1873, the church became a charter member of the New Covenant Baptist Association, an organization of Black churches in northwestern North Carolina and southwestern Virginia. Riverhill’s first-known sanctuary was originally built circa 1879. It was replaced in 1949 with help from the surrounding community. A school and a branch of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a Black fraternal order that promoted economic independence among African Americans, opened near Riverhill, creating a hub for the Black community.

• In 1879, the Readjuster Party, a biracial political party that advocated reforms to refinance the state debt accrued before the Civil War, gained control of the Virginia General Assembly. The Readjusters took over Danville’s city council in 1882. In October of the following year, some of the city’s White residents published the Danville Circular criticizing the Readjusters and denouncing Black political power. A local Readjuster official publicly condemned the circular on November 2. The next day, a White man and two Black men engaged in an argument that led to a fight outside the Danville Opera House. White men fired guns, and at least one White and four Black men were killed. Democrats blamed the violence on African Americans and won control of the General Assembly several days later. The Democrats’ victory signaled the demise of the Readjuster Party and an end to Black political power in Virginia until the 1960s.

Two newly approved markers recall historical communities established by People of Color (POC) in the Commonwealth:

• The house located at 1312 Wythe Street in the city of Alexandria stands as the sole original dwelling from Colored Rosemont, a once-flourishing, predominantly African American neighborhood. A White real estate businesswoman named Virginia F. W. Thomas inherited and bought land in the area in the early 20th century. Thomas sold home lots to Black families without the restrictive racial covenants that were frequently imposed upon Black customers looking to buy property during the time. By about 1950, many Black middle-class families lived between Madison, Pendleton, North Fayette, and North West Streets. In the 1960s, the city—undeterred by a lawsuit and vehement opposition from the neighborhood—seized possession of property in Colored Rosemont, compensated the homeowners, and built a public housing project.

• The small community of Koreans in and around Washington, D.C., grew after the embassy of South Korea (officially the Republic of Korea) opened in 1949, a year before the Korean War began. By the early 1960s, approximately 500 Koreans, primarily university students, lived in the northern Virginia region, including Fairfax County. A new wave of Korean immigrants arrived in the United States after President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which removed quotas based on ethnicity. Many Korean Americans moved to Virginia’s suburbs in subsequent years. In the 1980s, entrepreneurs drawn to Annandale’s affordable real estate and proximity to highways established stores, restaurants, professional services, churches, and civic groups in the area. As a result, Annandale became a social and commercial center for the Korean American community.

The Board also approved two markers highlighting the legacies of two influential leaders who contributed to Virginia’s commerce and healthcare in the 20th century:

• Born in Astoria, New York, self-made businessman Arthur Taubman moved to Roanoke in 1932 to acquire three Advance Stores, later known as Advance Auto Parts. When Taubman retired as president of Advance in 1969, the company had grown to 54 stores. Advance Auto Parts eventually expanded nationwide. Taubman also cofounded and served as chairman of Alliance Tire and Rubber Co., which opened in Israel in 1952 and became that country’s largest exporter. During the World War II era, Taubman signed hundreds of affidavits of support for European Jews to enter the United States, claiming each one of them as his cousin. An active civic leader, Taubman worked to end segregation in Roanoke’s public facilities in the 1960s. He lived less than a mile south of McClanahan Avenue in the city.

• Beulah M. Wiley, a Black healthcare pioneer in Virginia in the 20th century, graduated from the Cumberland Training School in 1941. Wiley led an intensive campaign to establish the Central Virginia Community Health Center (CVCHC), which opened in Buckingham County in 1970. The CVCHC was the state’s first community health facility funded by the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, which was created by Congress in 1964 as part of the legislative programs under President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty campaign. The push for community healthcare emerged from the Civil Rights Movement. A product of Wiley’s activism, the CVCHC brought high-quality care to underserved families in Buckingham, Cumberland, and Fluvanna Counties. The CVCHC later expanded into a broad network of facilities serving tens of thousands of patients every year.

Following the Board of Historic Resources’ approval of the markers, it can take upwards of eight months or more before a new marker is ready for installation. The marker’s sponsor covers the required $3,000 manufacturing expenses for a new sign.

Virginia’s historical highway marker program began in 1927 with installation of the first markers along U.S. Route 1. It is considered the oldest such program in the nation. Currently there are more than 2,600 state markers, mostly maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation, except in those localities outside of VDOT’s authority.

Full Text of Markers:
(VDOT must approve the proposed location for each sign in its right-of-way; local public works departments must do so in jurisdictions outside VDOT’s authority.)

Mahone’s Tavern
Mahone's Tavern, built ca. 1796 across from the Southampton Co. courthouse, was a center of political and social activity for more than a century. Known as Kello's Tavern early in the 1800s, it served as a refuge for citizens and as an encampment for soldiers at the time of Nat Turner’s insurrection in 1831. Fielding J. Mahone operated the tavern from 1841 to 1855. His son, William Mahone, a railroad magnate, Confederate major general, leader of the biracial Readjuster Party, and U.S. senator, lived here as a youth. John J. Kindred, a five-term congressman from NY, lived here as a child in the 1860s. Also known as Howard’s Hotel, the building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Sponsor: Mahone’s Tavern & Museum, Inc.
Locality: Southampton County
Proposed Location: 22341 Main St., Courtland

Riverhill Baptist Church
Riverhill Baptist Church, 2.5 miles northwest, is among the region’s oldest African American congregations. Emancipated people founded Riverhill between 1868 and 1873, aided by the missionary efforts of local White Baptists who had supported the Union during the Civil War. In 1873 Riverhill became a charter member of the New Covenant Baptist Association, an organization of African American churches in northwestern NC and southwestern VA. The church’s first-known sanctuary, built ca. 1879, was replaced in 1949. A school and a branch of the Independent Order of St. Luke, a fraternal order that promoted Black economic independence, opened near Riverhill, creating a hub for the Black community.
Sponsor: Riverhill Baptist Church
Locality: Grayson County
Proposed Location: Intersection of US 58/US 221 and Beech Grove Lane (Rte. 623)

Danville Riot/Danville Massacre, 1883
The biracial Readjuster Party gained control of the VA General Assembly in 1879 and of Danville’s city council in 1882. In Oct. 1883, White citizens distributed the Danville Circular denouncing African American political power. A local Readjuster official publicly condemned the circular on 2 Nov. The next day, an argument between a White man and two Black men escalated into a fight here, outside the Opera House. White men fired guns, and at least one White and four Black men were killed. Democrats, blaming the violence on African Americans, won control of the General Assembly days later, leading to the demise of the Readjuster Party and an end to Black political power in VA until the 1960s.
Sponsor: Danville Research Center for African American History and Culture
Locality: City of Danville
Proposed Location: 322-326 Main St.

Colored Rosemont
The house here at 1312 Wythe St. is the only original dwelling from the once-thriving, predominantly African American neighborhood known as Colored Rosemont. Virginia F. W. Thomas, a White real estate entrepreneur, inherited and purchased land in this area early in the 20th century. She sold home lots without restrictive racial covenants, despite their common use then. By about 1950, many Black middle-class families lived between Madison, Pendleton, N. Fayette, and N. West Streets. In the 1960s, the City of Alexandria expropriated property in Colored Rosemont, compensated the owners, and constructed a public housing project, undeterred by a lawsuit and vigorous opposition from the neighborhood.
Sponsor: Office of Historic Alexandria
Locality: City of Alexandria
Proposed Location: 1312 Wythe St.

Arthur Taubman (1901-1994)
Arthur Taubman, a self-made businessman, was born in Astoria, NY. He moved to Roanoke in 1932 to acquire three Advance Stores. When he retired as president of Advance in 1969, the company had grown to 54 stores. Later known as Advance Auto Parts, the chain expanded nationwide. Taubman was cofounder and chairman of Alliance Tire and Rubber Co., which opened in Israel in 1952 and became that country’s largest exporter. During the World War II era, he signed hundreds of affidavits of support for European Jews to enter the U.S., claiming each as his cousin. A civic leader in Roanoke, he worked for the desegregation of public facilities in the 1960s. His residence was 0.7 miles south of here.
Sponsor: Nelson Harris
Locality: City of Roanoke
Proposed Location: 200 block of McClanahan Ave.

Korean Americans in Northern Virginia
The small community of Koreans in and around Washington, DC, began to grow after the embassy of the Republic of Korea opened in 1949 and the Korean War commenced in 1950. About 500 Koreans, primarily university students, lived in the region by the early 1960s. A wave of new arrivals followed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which removed restrictions based on ethnicity. Many Korean Americans moved to the Virginia suburbs, and Annandale attracted entrepreneurs in the 1980s with its affordable real estate and access to highways. Featuring stores, restaurants, professional services, churches, and civic groups, Annandale became a social and commercial hub for the community.
Sponsor: Annandale Rotary Club
Locality: Fairfax County
Proposed Location: Little River Turnpike (Rte. 236) at intersection with Ravensworth Rd.

Beulah Marshall Munford Wiley (1923-1987)
Beulah M. Wiley, a 1941 Cumberland Training School graduate, was a Black healthcare pioneer. She led an intensive campaign to establish the Central Virginia Community Health Center (CVCHC), which opened here in 1970. This was the state’s first community health facility funded by the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, created in 1964 as part of the War on Poverty. The drive for community healthcare emerged from the Civil Rights Movement. The CVCHC was a product of Wiley’s activism and brought high-quality care to underserved families in Buckingham, Cumberland, and Fluvanna Counties. It later expanded into a broad network of facilities serving tens of thousands of patients annually.
Sponsor: Harry Marshall
Locality: Buckingham County
Proposed Location: 25892 N. James Madison Hwy

###