The downtown residential neighborhood that comprises the Daniel’s Hill Historic District, on a ridge above the James River in the city of Lynchburg, holds a variety of 19th-century styles and house types. Concentrated building activity began in the 1840s after the subdivision of the Cabell/Daniel family plantation whose mansion, Point of Honor, forms the neighborhood’s focal point. Cabell Street, the district’s main street, is lined with a progression of mid- and late-19th-century mansions, all solid examples of their respective styles. Particularly interesting is the Y-shaped dwelling at Cabell and B streets, built in 1875 by architect Robert Calhoun Burkholder for himself. More typical is the 1853-54 Greek Revival-style Dabney-Scott-Adams House at 405 Cabell Street, also known as Dabney’s Folly. Another Greek Revival landmark is Rivermont, a frame mansion. Contrasting with these showy dwellings are the vernacular workers’ houses scattered along the back streets. Protected by historic zoning, the Daniel’s Hill Historic District began to undergo a slow rehabilitation at the close of the 20th century.
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