The Vinton Downtown Historic District encompasses the commercial core of the Town of Vinton in Roanoke County. The district, which features a collection of commercial and municipal buildings from the early to mid-20th century, typifies a rural community in Southwest Virginia that developed into a downtown business hub over the course of the 20th century, after the establishment of railway transportation in the region.  Vinton developed from a small, rural community that grew up around Gish’s Mill and the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad in the mid-19th century to become the only town in Roanoke County. Vinton served as the commercial and industrial center for the northeast section of the county during the first three quarters of the 20th century. Located immediately east of Roanoke City, the Vinton Downtown Historic District reflects both the growth associated with the establishment of the Norfolk & Western Railway and related industries in Roanoke at the turn-of-the-20th century as well as the agricultural economy of the surrounding rural county. ​