The former Edward Holland House is a model example of America’s Second Empire style—a more neighborly interpretation of French imperial fashion that inspired the mode. The Holland House Apartments building was built in 1885 for Col. Edward Holland, a native of Nansemond County, who was Suffolk’s mayor from 1886-1887. Holland later served in the Virginia senate and the U. S. House of Representatives. He continued an active civic life until his death in 1940. Between 1940 and 1965 Holland’s residence was a meeting place for the Suffolk Elks Lodge No. 685. It has gone on to accommodate six apartments. Dominated by its concave mansard roof highlighted by patterned slates, the stylish dwelling retains much of its original architectural fabric, including a lacy front porch. Though northern states abound in Second Empire-style dwellings, the economic deprivation of the Reconstruction era make them rare in Virginia. The Holland House Apartments contributes to the Suffolk Historic District.
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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Programs
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
DHR has registered more than 3,317 individual resources and 613 historic districts
DHR has engaged over 450 students in 3 highway marker contests
DHR has stimulated more than $4.2 billion dollars in private investments related to historic tax credit incentives, revitalizing communities of all sizes throughout Virginia