Danville, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Danville Attractions
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 23, 2021
1. Danville Attractions Marker
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Danville Attractions. . , 1. Averett University , 420 West Main Street,was founded in 1859 as a school for young women. Averett grew to a fully accredited, co-educational, four year college in 1971. The Schoolfield House Booksellers at AU, 354 West Main Street, is a two-story 1913 former single-family dwelling that has been converted into a retail space retaining the house's hardwood floors, glistening chandeliers, crown molding and other architectural details.
2. Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History / Sutherlin Mansion , You are on the side lawn of this former single-family dwelling. The house became well-known as the temporary residence of Jefferson Davis where he signed his last official proclamation as President of the Confederacy before the government fell. Since 1973, it has been adapted as an art museum where beautifully re-created period rooms and museum galleries coexist.
3. Danville Science Center , 677 Craghead Street, is located at the historic Crossing at the Dan. The DSC delights all ages with its hands-on exhibits and special programs that make science fun. During butterfly season (April-October), enjoy the beauty of the Butterfly Station and Garden , one of only a few butterfly greenhouses in Virginia. The DSC includes the 1899 Southern Railway Passenger Station. It is registered with the Virginia Landmarks Commission and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
4. Green Hill Cemetery , 761 Lee Street / Jefferson Street, was established in 1863 when the Grove Street Cemetery was reaching capacity. Federal prisoners who died in Danville's prisons and hospitals were buried in its northeast corner. Within 16 months, 1,413 would be laid to rest here. This portion of Green Hill became the Danville National Cemetery on August 14, 1867. A stone wall separate this area from the graves in Green Hill.
5. Langhorne House , 117 Broad Street, is the birthplace and girlhood home of two famous Langhorne daughters, Nancy Langhorne Viscountess Astor, the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons, and Irene Langhorne Gibson, whose husband immortalized her as a Gibson Girl, the fashion ideal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
6. Schoolfield Museum and Cultural Center , 917 West Main Street, brings to life the legacy of Dan River Mills and the village of Schoolfield.
Outdoor Art and Oddities , 7. Bell and Horses' Trough , in Ballou Park on the corner of West Main Street and Park Avenue are the two tobacco-related artifact found near the Nature Center. The bell was used to call everyone to the tobacco auction in the warehouse district and the trough was used by the horses and mules that pulled the tobacco wagons to the warehouses.
8. Bull's Head , on the North Floyd Street elevation of the 1890 City Market is now part of Danville House at 600 Main Street. One of the earliest and most notable surviving uses of decorative terra-cotta, the beautifully crafted bull's head peers out from a circular recess, a symbol of the building's original function as a meat market.
9. Cannon , at Mt. Vernon and Montague Avenues intersection honors all veterans. The site was developed by the American Legion Danville Post 1097.
10. Little Girl Reading , at 511 Patton Street is located at the outside entrance of the Danville Public Library's Children's Department on the upper level.
11. Marble Statue of Harry Wooding , at 418 Patton Street was erected by the Exchange Club in front of the Municipal Building and reminds visitors of Danville's mayor who served for 46 years (1892-1938). Enter the Municipal Building and walk up to the landing between the third and fourth floors to see a 7×17 foot portrait of Danville native Lady Nancy Langhorne Astor, the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons.
12. Mural #1 , at the intersection of Main Street / Memorial Drive / Craghead Street depicts the 1903 wreck of the Old 97 express train in Danville. This 46' × 74' canvas welcomes the community and tourists into the heart of downtown.
13. Mural #2 , at 121-125 North Union Street on the west-facing wall features 1920s streetcar transportation in downtown Danville. The completion of the mural was the first step in the overall redevelopment of this area that includes the city's bus hub parking lot.
14. Mural #3 , at 540 Central Boulevard commemorates Danville's non-public school founded in 1953. Sacred Heart School moved from a Victorian house on West Main Street to the current location in 1966. SHS was named a 2006 Blue Ribbon School by the US. Department of Education. Mural is on a wall facing the back parking lot.
1. Averett University
420 West Main Street,was founded in 1859 as a school for young women. Averett grew to a fully accredited, co-educational, four year college in 1971. The Schoolfield House Booksellers at AU, 354 West Main Street, is a two-story 1913 former single-family dwelling that has been converted into a retail space retaining the house's hardwood floors, glistening chandeliers, crown molding and other architectural details.
2. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History / Sutherlin Mansion
You are on the side lawn of this former single-family dwelling. The house became well-known as the temporary residence of Jefferson Davis where he signed his last official proclamation as President of the Confederacy before the government fell. Since 1973, it has been adapted as an art museum where beautifully re-created period rooms and museum galleries coexist.
3. Danville Science Center
677 Craghead Street, is located at the historic Crossing at the Dan. The DSC delights all ages with its hands-on exhibits and special programs that make science fun. During butterfly season (April-October), enjoy the beauty of the Butterfly Station and Garden — one of only a few butterfly greenhouses in Virginia. The DSC includes the 1899 Southern Railway Passenger Station. It is registered with
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the Virginia Landmarks Commission and listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
4. Green Hill Cemetery
761 Lee Street / Jefferson Street, was established in 1863 when the Grove Street Cemetery was reaching capacity. Federal prisoners who died in Danville's prisons and hospitals were buried in its northeast corner. Within 16 months, 1,413 would be laid to rest here. This portion of Green Hill became the Danville National Cemetery on August 14, 1867. A stone wall separate this area from the graves in Green Hill.
5. Langhorne House
117 Broad Street, is the birthplace and girlhood home of two famous Langhorne daughters—Nancy Langhorne Viscountess Astor, the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons, and Irene Langhorne Gibson, whose husband immortalized her as a Gibson Girl, the fashion ideal in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
6. Schoolfield Museum & Cultural Center
917 West Main Street, brings to life the legacy of Dan River Mills and the village of Schoolfield.
Outdoor Art & Oddities
7. Bell & Horses' Trough
in Ballou Park on the corner of West Main Street and Park Avenue are the two tobacco-related artifact found near the Nature Center. The bell was used to call everyone to the tobacco auction in the warehouse district and the trough was used by the horses and mules that
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 23, 2021
2. Danville Attractions Marker
pulled the tobacco wagons to the warehouses.
8. Bull's Head
on the North Floyd Street elevation of the 1890 City Market is now part of Danville House at 600 Main Street. One of the earliest and most notable surviving uses of decorative terra-cotta, the beautifully crafted bull's head peers out from a circular recess, a symbol of the building's original function as a meat market.
9. Cannon
at Mt. Vernon and Montague Avenues intersection honors all veterans. The site was developed by the American Legion Danville Post 1097.
10. Little Girl Reading
at 511 Patton Street is located at the outside entrance of the Danville Public Library's Children's Department on the upper level.
11. Marble Statue of Harry Wooding
at 418 Patton Street was erected by the Exchange Club in front of the Municipal Building and reminds visitors of Danville's mayor who served for 46 years (1892-1938). Enter the Municipal Building and walk up to the landing between the third and fourth floors to see a 7×17 foot portrait of Danville native Lady Nancy Langhorne Astor, the first woman to sit in the British House of Commons.
12. Mural #1
at the intersection of Main Street / Memorial Drive / Craghead Street depicts the 1903 wreck of the Old 97 express train in Danville. This 46' × 74' canvas welcomes the community and tourists
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), April 23, 2021
3. Danville Attractions Marker
into the heart of downtown.
13. Mural #2
at 121-125 North Union Street on the west-facing wall features 1920s streetcar transportation in downtown Danville. The completion of the mural was the first step in the overall redevelopment of this area that includes the city's bus hub parking lot.
14. Mural #3
at 540 Central Boulevard commemorates Danville's non-public school founded in 1953. Sacred Heart School moved from a Victorian house on West Main Street to the current location in 1966. SHS was named a 2006 Blue Ribbon School by the US. Department of Education. Mural is on a wall facing the back parking lot.
Location. 36° 34.872′ N, 79° 23.998′ W. Marker is in Danville, Virginia. Marker is on Sutherlin Avenue south of Main Street (Virginia Route 293), on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 975 Main St, Danville VA 24541, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 294 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on April 25, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on April 26, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
