Merchants Square and Resort Historic District | |
Location | Boundary St., Duke of Gloucester St., S. England St., Francis St., Henry St. Prince George St., Williamsburg, Virginia |
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Coordinates | 37°16′14″N 76°42′6″W / 37.27056°N 76.70167°W |
Area | 49 acres (20 ha) |
Built | 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]
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]
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]
Media related to Merchants Square at Wikimedia Commons