F.T. Jones tourist home
Known Name(s)
F.T. Jones tourist home
Address
515 Baptist St. Staunton, VA
Establishment Type(s)
Tourist Home
Physical Status
Demolished
Detailed History
The 1950 issue of the "Negro Business Directory" lists the Franklin T. Jones Tourist Home at 516 Baptist Street, not 515. However, all Green Book listings have the 515 street number. This tourist home was located in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Staunton, a historic African-American community. The area around Baptist Street and Sunnyside Street, just one lot south of where the tourist home was located, had several shops and at least one grocery store. Another notable landmark was the Palace Auditorium, one of the only places for African-Americans to socialize outside of the church and pool hall.
Baptist Street, where the home was located, was referred to locally as “Baptist Alley,” and was a very tight knit community where there was a communal sense of parenting and looking after children. The structure no longer exists and is now a vacant lot.
Research and site photo by Caroline Vanterve
