Hanbury Preservation Consulting

P.O. Box 6049
Raleigh, NC 27628 USA
(919) 828-1905 phone

St. Paul Historic District Survey

St. Paul, Virginia is an excellent example of a small town that was established and grew with the expansion of the coal mining industry in the region, from the late 19th to the early 20th century. Set along the Clinch River, the town was planned as half of a twin cities development modeled after Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota, though only St. Paul was built.  Topography allowed St. Paul to serve as a railroad junction and commercial distribution point for other nearby coal communities.

In anticipation of a National Register nomination, Hanbury Preservation Consulting surveyed the thirty-two primary resources that comprise the St. Paul Historic District in Wise County, Virginia.  The district is largely commercial and features sophisticated masonry work and buildings in the Classical Revival and Beaux Arts styles. Though the city's fortunes declined with the coal industry, the National Register designation attracted investment and energy into this small mountain town with the rehabilitation of a boutique hotel and creation of a microbrewery serving a growing eco-tourism market.