Merchants Square
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Merchants Square and Resort Historic District
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Merchants Square in spring
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| Location | Boundary St., Duke of Gloucester St., S. England St., Francis St., Henry St. Prince George St., Williamsburg, Virginia |
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| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Area | 49 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Perry, Shaw & Hepburn; et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Colonial Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 06000365[1] |
| VLR # | 137-5027 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 3, 2006 |
| Designated VLR | December 7, 2005[2] |
Merchants Square is an 18th-century style retail village in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]
History
Conceived in 1927 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Reverend W. A. R. Goodwin,[4] Merchants Square is considered to be one of the first planned shopping districts in the United States, if not the first.[4] Small shops throughout Williamsburg would move into a centrally located area that used architecture that was in harmony with the restoration’s character.
Most of the stores and shops are located on Duke of Gloucester Street (DoG St.) right across from The College of William & Mary’s campus.[4] To keep the area as close to historical accuracy as possible, all telephone wires were placed underground, and modern day technologies such as air-conditioning ducts and garage equipment were hidden with shrubs and plantings.[4]
Present day
Today there are over 40 shops and restaurants located in Merchants Square.[5] The area is also used for other purposes, such as seasonal concerts, a farmers' market, and special movie screenings.[5]
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Merchants Square – History. Retrieved on June 28, 2008.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Merchants Square – Home. Retrieved on June 28, 2008.
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
- Buildings and structures in Williamsburg, Virginia
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia
- 1927 establishments in the United States
- Commercial buildings completed in 1927
- National Register of Historic Places in Williamsburg, Virginia
