Built for commercial and residential use, this group of brick structures was acquired in 1899 by the Appomattox Iron Works, a manufacturer of agricultural and industrial wares that operated here for fifty years. The one-story storefront building (1920; 20 W. Old) was the foundry's steam engine shop, later converted to its pipe shop with a long skylit rear workroom for the manufacture of plumbing pipes. The three-story double building (c. 1816; 22–24 W. Old) was considerably altered in the late nineteenth century when storefronts were added to the facade along with metal window caps and a bracketed metal cornice. The first story of 22–24 W. Old Street was used as a hardware store and for storage, and the two upper floors of number 22 were the main offices of the Appomattox Iron Works. Behind this Federal building, the foundry added long, gable-roof storage sheds with glass skylights. The building at 26–28 W. Old Street may predate the 1815 fire, thus making it the oldest building in the complex. A three-story four-bay Federal building that became the foundry's machine shop, it was constructed with commercial space on the first floor and offices and storage on the two upper floors and attic.