Sunnyfields is the core of a 522-acre Albemarle County plantation established in the 1830s by William B. Phillips, a prominent master mason. Located southeast of the city of Charlottesville, at the base of Monticello Mountain, and within the bounds of the Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District, the house was presumably designed and built by Phillips for his own residence. In 1818, Phillips was selected by Thomas Jefferson to serve as a principal builder for the University of Virginia, the largest state building project of its time. Phillips was the brickmason for the Rotunda, the anatomical theater, Pavilion X, Hotel C, many of the dormitories, and the serpentine garden walls. After the university, Phillips continued his career by building several county courthouses, including those in Madison (1830), Page (1833), Greene (1838) and possibly Caroline (ca. 1830). These buildings, including Sunnyfields, incorporate the fine brickwork and academically correct classical detailing for which Phillips was known. On the grounds is a long servants’ quarter and the remains of a large terraced garden.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
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DHR has secured permanent legal protection for over 700 historic places - including 15,000 acres of battlefield lands
DHR has erected 2,532 highway markers in every county and city across Virginia
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