Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/18/1979
NRHP Listing Date 12/28/1979
DHR's Virginia Board of Historic Resources easement
NRHP Reference Number 79003031
On the summit of a steep grassy hill, the late Federal-style farmhouse of Prospect Hill, one of the principal historic homesteads of Botetourt County, commands panoramic views of mountains, farmland, and the village of Fincastle. Built ca. 1837-38 for John Gray, the county sheriff, the house has a two-level portico and rare flush-board siding. Especially noteworthy are the entrance fanlight and pediment lunette with their lively intersecting tracery. The interior is decorated with marbleizing and wood graining. The stenciled band in the west parlor is a decorative device rarely surviving in Virginia houses of the period. Local artistry is also evident in the carved stair brackets and carved fascia of the stair landing. The one-story wings are later additions.
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
Updated: January 6, 2022
