Merchants Square

Retail village recreation

United States historic place

Merchants Square and Resort Historic District

U.S. National Register of Historic Places

U.S. Historic district

Virginia Landmarks Register

Merchants Square in spring

Show map of Virginia

Show map of the United States

Location| Boundary St., Duke of Gloucester St., S. England St., Francis St., Henry St. Prince George St., Williamsburg, Virginia
Coordinates| 37°16′14″N 76°42′6″W﻿ / ﻿37.27056°N 76.70167°W﻿ / 37.27056; -76.70167
Area| 49 acres (20 ha)
Built| 1927 (1927)
Architect| Perry, Shaw & Hepburn et al.
Architectural style| Colonial, Colonial Revival
NRHP reference No.| 06000365[1]
VLR No.| 137-5027
Significant dates
Added to NRHP| May 3, 2006
Designated VLR| December 7, 2005[2]

Merchants Square is a 20th-century interpretation of an 18th-century-style retail village in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]

## History

[edit]

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. William G. Perry, chief architect of the Williamsburg Restoration, designed the shopping district.[5]

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

[edit]

Another view of the square

Today there are over 40 shops and restaurants located in Merchants Square.[6] The area is also used for other purposes, such as seasonal concerts, a farmers' market, and special movie screenings.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
2. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register". Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Retrieved March 19, 2013.
3. ^ "Virginia Landmarks Register" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places. December 16, 2011. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
4. ^ a b c d Merchants Square – History. Retrieved on June 28, 2008.
5. ^ Morrill, Matthew (May 5, 2009). "The Development of Merchants Square: Colonial Imagery and the Consequences of Redevelopment in Williamsburg, Virginia and Other Small Towns, 1910-1955". Undergraduate Honors Theses.
6. ^ a b Merchants Square – Home Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved on June 28, 2008.

## External links

[edit]

Media related to Merchants Square at Wikimedia Commons

* Merchants Square official website

* v
* t
* e

Colonial Williamsburg

History|

* Battle of Williamsburg
* Colonial Williamsburg History
* Historic Triangle
* Middle Plantation
* Rich Neck Plantation

Structures|

* Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum
* Alexander Craig House
* Bassett Hall
* Brush-Everard House
* Bruton Parish Church
* Capitol
* Charlton House
* Courthouse
* DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum
* Geddy House
* Governor's Palace
* James Semple House
* John Crump House
* Ludwell–Paradise House
* Matthew Whaley School
* Nicolson Store
* Palmer House
* Peyton Randolph House
* President's House
* Raleigh Tavern
* St. George Tucker House
* Tayloe House
* Wetherburn's Tavern
* Williamsburg Bray School
* Williamsburg Inn
* Wren Building
* Wythe House

People|

* W. A. R. Goodwin
* Patrick Henry
* Peyton Randolph
* Abby Aldrich Rockefeller
* John D. Rockefeller Jr.
* Richard Taliaferro
* DeWitt Wallace
* George Wythe

Geography|

* Williamsburg
* Hampton Roads
* Jamestown
* Yorktown
* Virginia

Other|

* Bodleian Plate
* Carter's Grove Country Road
* Carter's Grove Plantation
* College of William & Mary
* campus
* Colonial Parkway
* Grand Illumination
* Merchants Square
* National Trust for Historic Preservation
* Peacock Hill
* Williamsburg: The Story of a Patriot

* v
* t
* e

U.S. National Register of Historic Places in Virginia

Lists
by county|

* Accomack
* Albemarle
* Alleghany
* Amelia
* Amherst
* Appomattox
* Arlington
* Augusta
* Bath
* Bedford
* Bland
* Botetourt
* Brunswick
* Buchanan
* Buckingham
* Campbell
* Caroline
* Carroll
* Charles City
* Charlotte
* Chesterfield
* Clarke
* Craig
* Culpeper
* Cumberland
* Dickenson
* Dinwiddie
* Essex
* Fairfax
* Fauquier
* Floyd
* Fluvanna
* Franklin
* Frederick
* Giles
* Gloucester
* Goochland
* Grayson
* Greene
* Greensville
* Halifax
* Hanover
* Henrico
* Henry
* Highland
* Isle Of Wight
* James City
* King and Queen
* King George
* King William
* Lancaster
* Lee
* Loudoun
* Louisa
* Lunenburg
* Madison
* Mathews
* Mecklenburg
* Middlesex
* Montgomery
* Nelson
* New Kent
* Northampton
* Northumberland
* Nottoway
* Orange
* Page
* Patrick
* Pittsylvania
* Powhatan
* Prince Edward
* Prince George
* Prince William
* Pulaski
* Rappahannock
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Rockbridge
* Rockingham
* Russell
* Scott
* Shenandoah
* Smyth
* Southampton
* Spotsylvania
* Stafford
* Surry
* Sussex
* Tazewell
* Warren
* Washington
* Westmoreland
* Wise
* Wythe
* York

Lists
by city|

* Alexandria
* Bristol
* Buena Vista
* Charlottesville
* Chesapeake
* Colonial Heights
* Covington
* Danville
* Emporia
* Fairfax
* Falls Church
* Franklin
* Fredericksburg
* Galax
* Hampton
* Harrisonburg
* Hopewell
* Lexington
* Lynchburg
* Manassas
* Manassas Park
* Martinsville
* Newport News
* Norfolk
* Norton
* Petersburg
* Poquoson (no listings)
* Portsmouth
* Radford
* Richmond
* Roanoke
* Salem
* Staunton
* Suffolk
* Virginia Beach
* Waynesboro
* Williamsburg
* Winchester

Other lists|

* Bridges
* National Historic Landmarks

* Keeper of the Register
* History of the National Register of Historic Places
* Property types
* Historic district
* Contributing property

*[No.]: number
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template