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 Discover the stories and secrets behind the historic storefronts on Main
Street in Gloucester, Virginia. There's on-street parking along
flower-lined brick walkways. Friendly proprietors have distinctive food
and merchandise to sell and fascinating stories to tell-about Main Street as it
was and as it is today. Come often. Who knows what you'll find next time?
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Map
of Main Street Sites |
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1.
Botetourt Hotel home of the Gloucester Museum of
History - click for more info |
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2
The Village Trade Building
click for more info |
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3.
Stillwaters
is one of the most popular dining location on Main Street. Go
inside for steak, seafood and interesting features like a punched tin
ceiling and a stained glass window that says "Capers," which was one
of many restaurants in this spot. Many residents remember when Gray's Drug
Store was located here.
The parking lot beside
Stillwaters was expanded when Leigh's Market was torn down. The store offered home
delivery and great sandwiches. Co-owner Benny Leigh continues the tradition at
Leigh and Nardozzi Caterers, located down the street.
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4.
Farinholt Building
click for more info |
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5. The
Calvin Hotel
Once the Calvin Hotel, Tri-County Furniture now uses this building for storage. |
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6.
Coca-Cola Bottling Plant
click for more
info |
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7.
Ware Neck Produce
Ware Neck produce got its start on Main Street tour of the back of a pickup
truck. Today, they offer Virginia plants, produce, baked goods, pantry items,
Christmas trees and holiday merchandise from a quaint, permanent stand.
Ware Neck Produce is open from March through December. |
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8.
Twice Told Tales
click for more info |
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9.
Buttons
& Bows and Smiths Florist
John's Department Store once occupied the entire space now shared by these
stores. From a department store to a men's clothing store to a five and
dime; the current occupants now offer consignment clothes, children's clothes,
flowers and gift items. (Deja Vu has closed) |
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10.
The Gift Garden click for more info |
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11.
Heaven Sent Toys and Games
click for more
info |
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12.
Kelsick Gardens and Feather Your Nest
Kelsick click
for more info |
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13.
Tabb House
click for more
info |
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14.
Lord Botetourt Antiques
click for more info |
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15.
SunTrust Bank
One of the oldest structures on Main Street dating to 1902, it was designed to
be compatible with the architecture of the Court Circle. Though it has always
been a bank building, there have been many names on the door, including Mumford Bank,
The Bank of Gloucester and Crestar, which merged with Sun Trust Bank. |
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16.
GTE Building The telephone company has occupied this building from the beginning. Operators
used to connect one caller to another manually at the central switchboard on the
second floor. Today's "switchboard" is all-electronic. |
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17.
Pointer Building
The former W.E. Corr's General Store's business benefited greatly from its
proximity to the Courthouse on court days when lots of people came to town. |
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Map of Main Street Sites
Artwork
courtesy of Harriet Cowen, About the
artist
A special thanks goes to Harriet
Cowen who generously donated all of the artwork for this brochure. Ms. Cowen, a
resident of Bena, Virginia, has used her masterful talents with pen and ink drawing to
capture the beauty and detail of the old country stores. She graciously agreed to
undertake this project which required her to visit many of the sites as well as working
from photographs.
Ms. Cowen’s artwork, which includes drawings of historical sites can be purchased at
Mo Stuff, located in the Bena Country Store, Focal Point Gallery, Ltd. on historic Main
Street, and Waterman’s Museum Gift Shop in Yorktown. She has once again been
commissioned by the Park Service for a series of artwork at both Jamestown and Yorktown.
Over the past 25 years Ms. Cowen has completed more than 400 commissioned “Home
Portraits” which are her specialty.
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Back
to Gloucester County Tourism |
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Copies
of this walking tour are available at the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Office
at 6467 Main Street, Gloucester Museum of History and Visitor Center or email
us to have a copy mailed to you. Last Update by D. Carter
May 01, 2008 |