122-126 S Wayne Ave

From the National Register nomination

This two-story painted-brick mixed-use commercial building, divided by piers into three bays, retains a relatively intact upper-story facade among the downtown's Italianate structures. Like the adjoining buildings at 112 and 116 S. Wayne, the building's segmentally arched first- and second-story openings are topped with brick arches that suggest hood moldings. Replacement windows with snap-in grids creating a twelve-over-six pattern fill the openings, which have cast-stone sills. Five square louvered vents occupy the area above the second-story windows and below the decorative brick comice, which abstractly suggests a full classical entablature with dentil moldings, a frieze, and modillions. The left bay's ground-level storefront, with a recessed center entry and large display windows, appears to be essentially original in form if not materials. The right-hand bay of the facade has a modern fixed display window where originally two double-hung windows were located. The middle bay retains the original arched recess leading to stairs to the second floor. Building contractor Charles S. Gaw had this building erected and rented space in it to The Valley Virgintan newspaper, law and insurance offices, a jewelry store, and other businesses. A decorative metal sign inscribed "Valley Virginian Building Established 1896" formerly rose above the parapet. Occupied in 1935 by Waynesboro News-Virginian (122), Sanitary Barber Shop (126), and Hiserman Studio (126a). (Shaw, Ranzini and Wood, "Waynesboro Downtown Histone District"; VDHR survey file 136-405).