Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995 TAG: 9507280115
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CHARLES STEBBINS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It is known today as the Old Post House and is distinctive on two counts:
It is the only building in Salem's downtown that legally encroaches onto the sidewalk, and;
It is stop No.10 on a newly created walking tour of historic sites in downtown Salem.
The Post House, at 42 E. Main St., is one of the oldest buildings on the tour. It was constructed by Stevens as a residence for himself and his wife, Sarah. The building also was a way-station where travelers could get mail, fresh horses and overnight lodging.
Over the years the Post House has been used as an inn, a private residence and a tea house.
The sidewalk encroachment is a porch that is a distinctive architectural feature adding to the historical character of the building.
The Post House today is owned by St. Paul's Episcopal Church, which uses it for church offices.
While the Post House is one of the oldest buildings in Salem, it may not be the oldest. Another that could claim that distinction is known as New Castle at 12 Union St. It was built about 1820 as a residence. Shortly after World War II it became the first site of North Cross School.
Today the building houses the Olde Salem Furnishings.
The self-guided walking tour of 22 sites was created under the sponsorship of the Salem Historical Society, owners and operators of the Salem Museum.
The walking tour route is included in a publication, "A Guide to Historic Salem," a new quarterly designed to help educate people to Salem's history. The quarterly is a publication of the Historical Society and is edited by Lon Savage, a retired Virginia Tech official, former newspaper writer and author of several books.
A map and miniature drawings of each of the stops on the tour were created by Jennifer Joiner, an artist in Salem.
Hill said that most of the buildings are privately owned and not open to the public.
Joiner said that when she went over the whole walking tour route she was impressed by the varied architectural styles of the houses. They represented several periods of history, and several of the houses are quite elaborate, she said.
Two of those with elaborate exteriors are the Rice House and Evans Webber House, both in the 200 block of Broad Street.
The Rice House dates to 1867 and has large Corinthian columns. The Webber House dates to 1882 and is an example of the Second French Empire style of architecture.
Another old building on the tour is Monterey at 110 High St. It was built about 1840 and at one time was a hotel. Now it is a private residence.
One of the more visible historical sites on the tour is the building housing the Salem Museum in a corner of Longwood Park on East Main Street.
It was built in 1845 as a combination residence, store and post office. This structure, officially the Williams-Brown House-Store, originally was about a block away but about 10 years ago was faced with extinction because of street-widening at East Main and Thompson Memorial Drive. The house was given to the historical society, which moved it.
Even though most of the buildings are closed to the public, some, such as churches and public buildings, can be entered.
Not all of the walking tour consists of buildings, however.
Also included is the campus of Roanoke College, which offers a separate walking tour. Copies are available at the college's admissions office at 226 High St.
Other non-building sites in the general tour are two old cemeteries, the site of the old Longwood mansion and the Salem Farmers' Market, the newest addition to Salem's notable sites.
The tour, an estimated three miles, covers the principal streets in Salem's downtown - Main, Market, High, Broad, Academy, Clay, Calhoun and Union streets and College Avenue.
Hill said the idea for the walking tour came up several years ago while Mark Miller, a history professor at Roanoke College, was president of the Historical Society. He helped put together the walking tour of the college campus, she said, and at the same time came up with the idea of a walking tour of Salem's downtown.
Hill said the tour may be expanded and modified.
Also, she said, she is looking into the possibility of creating several neighborhood walking tours separate from the main tour of the downtown.
An example of a neighborhood tour, she said, is the Christmas open house tour which the Historical Society began in 1994.
Memo: NOTE: Also ran in August 2, 1995 Current.