Waynesboro, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Port Republic Road Historic District
Photographed by Jim Wilson, March 2, 2011
1. Port Republic Road Historic District Marker
This is Waynesboro's oldest intact neighborhood. It coalesced as a community about 1870, just after the Civil War, when formerly enslaved individuals moved here to work in nearby industries and on railroads. The African American residents constructed most of the buildings here between the mid-19th and mid-20th centuries. The community's Rosenwald School and Shiloh Baptist Church were both constructed in 1924. One of the earliest houses in the district, a circa 1818 dwelling, was built on Riverside Drive. Designated the Port Republic Road Historic District, the neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in in 2002.
Erected 2010 by Department of Historic Resources. (Marker Number Q-2.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Virginia Department of Historic Resources (DHR) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1870.
Location. 38° 4.53′ N, 78° 53.136′ W. Marker is in Waynesboro, Virginia. It is at the intersection of Port Republic Rd (Virginia Route 865) and Fontaine St, on the left when traveling north on Port Republic
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Regionally, this marker is in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Waynesboro (approx. half a mile away); River Crossings & Bridges (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named Waynesboro (approx. half a mile away); Ecology of the South River (approx. 0.6 miles away); Fishburne Military School (approx. 0.6 miles away); William H. Harman Monument (approx. 0.6 miles away); Plumb House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Wooden Water Pipe (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waynesboro.
Another marker is no longer nearby. The Plumb House Museum (was approx. 0.7 miles away but has been permanently removed).
More about this marker. The marker is at the site of the Rosenwald School, constructed for African-American students during the era of segregation. It is now the site of the Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department, and is also used as a community center for neighborhood residents.
Also see . . . Port Republic Road Historic District. Virginia Department of Historical resources website entry (Submitted on September 6, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
Additional keywords.
Photographed by Jim Wilson, March 2, 2011
2. Rosenwald School
Currently the site of Waynesboro Parks and Recreation Department and Port Republic Neighborhood Community Center
Photographed by Jim Wilson, March 2, 2011
3. Shiloh Baptist Church
The church is located at 258 Shiloh Ave, about a quarter mile south and a block east of the Port Republic marker
Photographed by Jim Wilson, March 2, 2011
4. Shiloh Church Marker
This marker, located at Shiloh Baptist Church, provides additional information on the Port Republic Road neighborhood.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 6, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 10, 2011, by Jim Wilson of Waynesboro (Independent City), Virginia. This page has been viewed 2,097 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 10, 2011, by Jim Wilson of Waynesboro (Independent City), Virginia. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
