THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180373
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONI WHITT, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
The Pythian Castle, a national historic landmark on the corner of County and Court streets, will become a state history office next month.
The Romanesque Revival-style structure, built in 1897 by the Knights of Pythias fraternal society, has stood empty for several years. On Tuesday, city and state officials announced that they will open a regional branch of Virginia's Department of Historic Resources there.
The state offices will occupy the third floor, while an art supply store, framing shop and cafe will be on the first floor.
``For some reason Portsmouth is in the embryonic stages of becoming the cultural center of this region,'' said Robert LeMasters, who will open the new business on the building's first floor in the spring.
The second floor will be a series of art studios, similar to the D'Art Center in Norfolk.
The state has contracted to run the Portsmouth office for two years. The city will provide the space, computers and utilities.
The office will help identify historic landmarks in the region and work with the area in preserving and using those landmarks in economic development, tourism and community revitalization.
Becky Norton Dunlop, the state secretary of natural resources, said the city's central location is one of the reasons Portsmouth was selected as the site of one of four regional offices.
``It is an area . . . with a wealth of historic, architectural and archaeological resources,'' she said. ``The region boasts Virginia's earliest Native American, European and African settlements, and it can rightly claim to be home to the earliest roots of a new nation.''
Other history offices are in Roanoke, Richmond and Winchester. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MARK MITCHELL
The Virginian-Pilot
Randy Turner, left, and Robert LeMasters will be moving into the
historic Pythian Castle, which will hold a state historic resources
office and local art shops and a cafe.
by CNB