Bragassa toy store

Our current office space, 325 12th St., wasn’t always the home of the Lynchburg Historical Foundation. For decades, this building served as a charming toy store nestled in the heart of Downtown Lynchburg.

The Italianate-style building we currently occupy was once the Bragassa Toy Store. It was originally built in 1876 by Francisco Bragassa who immigrated from Italy in 1829. The Bragassa family opened several other stores in Lynchburg, but the 12th Street building was the only one that stands today. The family was the most prominent toy supplier in Lynchburg until well into the 20th century.

Our building stands two stories tall, erected from brick and stone. It has undergone significant amounts of renovations since its construction and the original wooden portions are almost completely gone. The first floor was evenly split between the confectionery and the toy store, while the second floor of the building served as housing for the Bragassa family until 1979.

In 1988 The Lynchburg Historical Foundation purchased the building from the Bragassa family, and became one of our many preservation projects. It was later added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.