For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 05/13/1969
NRHP Listing Date 11/17/1969
NPS property number 69000363
Erected in 1724 for Francis Thelabell II, this visually engaging dwelling is a rare surviving example of the type of house favored by prosperous farmers immediately before colonial Virginia’s Golden Age. With its irregularly spaced openings, exposed rafter ends, hall/parlor plan, and massive chimneys, the house is a holdover of English vernacular traditions of the 17th century. The survival of many of the interior features, most notably the closed-string Jacobean-type stair and molded ceiling joists, makes Lynnhaven House particularly instructive. Long known as the Wishart house, the present name is a modern one, derived from the nearby Lynnhaven River. Following years of neglect, the house was donated in 1971 by the Oliver family to the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities. The painstakingly restored structure is now a museum.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated October 14, 2018
