{"nrhp_refnum":"70000864","name":"Semple, James, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"S side of Frances St. between Blair and Walker Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Williamsburg (Independent City)","county":"Williamsburg","state":"VA","lat":37.27023901650006,"lon":-76.69278637552128,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1970-04-15","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"1970-04-15","areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A frame townhouse on the south side of Francis Street, between Blair and Waller Streets, in Williamsburg, Virginia, built about 1770-1780 and attributed by some to Thomas Jefferson.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it an excellent example of Palladio's \"Roman Country House\" adapted as a frame townhouse. It is also an early, distinguished example of the classicism that began changing American architecture late in the 18th century. Its design is often ascribed to Thomas Jefferson and resembles his 1768 first Monticello drawings, although experts disagree.","narrative":"This frame house on Francis Street in Williamsburg dates from about 1770-1780. It has a two-story clapboard center section with a pedimented gable facing the street, flanked by one-story wings. The entrance porch is Roman Doric, with a dentil pediment and a guilloche on the architrave, probably inspired by a 1765 London pattern book. A narrow, winding stair behind the east chimney leads to two small bedrooms. The design is often attributed to Thomas Jefferson, then living in Williamsburg, and resembles his 1768 first drawings for Monticello, though experts disagree. The nomination values it as an example of Palladio's Roman Country House adapted as a frame townhouse, and as an early sign of the classicism that spread in the late 1700s. Colonial Williamsburg acquired and restored it in 1932, rebuilding the east chimney and porch steps and removing a later rear wing. A small kitchen building nearby is the only other original structure. The house remains a residence, not open to the public.","period_of_significance":"1770-1780","architect_builder":"Design often ascribed to Thomas Jefferson, though experts disagree","architectural_style":"Palladian-derived classicism (Roman Country House adapted as a frame townhouse)","criteria":[],"status_note":"Excellent condition; restored by Colonial Williamsburg in 1932, used as a residence for an executive employee, well maintained and not open to the public.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:56.770531-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/82/6791/41679182/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/70000864_NHL.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/70000864/d625dc9f45-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/70000864/d625dc9f45-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Unknown authorUnknown author","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Semple_House,_Francis_Street_(Williamsburg,_Virginia).jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Unknown authorUnknown author</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Semple_House,_Francis_Street_(Williamsburg,_Virginia).jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"66000925","name":"Williamsburg Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/williamsburg-historic-district-66000925/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41679182","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Semple_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6142934"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/williamsburg/semple-james-house-70000864/"}