Established in 1792 as Taylorsville, the Piedmont Town of Stuart is the seat of Patrick County. Stuart’s first wave of economic development centered on the Patrick County Courthouse, as embodied in the previously listed Stuart Uptown Historic District. The Stuart Downtown Historic District, located south and downhill from the uptown district, represents a second wave of commercial and industrial development in Stuart, spurred by the arrival of the Danville & Western Railway in 1884. The 8.24-acre downtown district lies adjacent to the former railroad and the Mayo River. Although the railroad tracks, turntable, and depot no longer exist, 16 contributing commercial and industrial buildings, constructed between the late 1800s and the 1960s, create a cohesive district. Located within a triangular area formed by the convergence of South Main Street, Patrick Avenue (Route 8), and Commerce Street, these buildings—including two banks, an Art Deco movie theater, a cannery, and a knitting mil—reflect the town’s growth. Collectively they exhibit various stylistic influences, construction techniques, and materials, according to the period in which each building was erected. Although the functions and styles of the buildings vary, general commonalities such as relatively small scale, masonry construction, primarily flat roofs with simple detailing at the roofline, storefronts with large display windows, and siting along the sidewalk give the district a cohesive visual character.