Warren

Modern site of the proposed town of Warren at the confluence of the James River and Ballinger Creek. Photograph by David Hoffman.

Warren was one of several unrealized-plans for distinct towns that were to be established within Albemarle County during the early nineteenth century.

History

The proposed town of Warren was projected by Wilson C. Nicholas on the James River at its confluence with Ballinger Creek in southern Albemarle County. During the opening stages of its settlement, a relative few lots were sold and a few houses were erected. An extensive mill and distillery were constructed on the site and maintained by Samuel Shelton & Co. for the next few years. A large stone tavern was built by Jacob Kinney, who eventually moved to Staunton and who rented and later sold the property to William Brown. Under Brown's management, the tavern became a prominent establishment in its day.

Also at the site of Warren was constructed a Tobacco Warehouse known as Nicholas', which in its heyday shipped around the same number of hogsheads as Henderson's in the port of Milton. The first inspectors of this warehouse were Clifton Garland, Abraham Eades, Samuel Childress, Robert Moorman, and John T. Holman.

A 1911 map of Virginia by Rand McNally labeling Warren in Albemarle County. Reproduced from My Genealogy Hound.

Warren as a town never made much progress beyond the aforementioned enterprises, and the settlement itself was gradually abandoned throughout the nineteenth century.