{"nrhp_refnum":"79003285","name":"Main Hall, Randolph-Macon Women's College","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2500 Rivermont Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Lynchburg (Independent City)","county":"Lynchburg","state":"VA","lat":37.43691279700005,"lon":-79.17224948499995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-06-19","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Main Hall is the original brick college building of Randolph-Macon Woman's College at 2500 Rivermont Avenue in Lynchburg, Virginia, built in stages from 1891 to 1911 to designs by Washington architect William F. Poindexter.","why_significant":"It is argued to be one of the purest and largest examples of the Queen Anne style in Virginia, adapted to a collegiate building. It was the first building of the college, founded in 1891, and remains the academic and residential heart of the campus. It is also tied to the nineteenth-century education of women.","narrative":"Main Hall is the first and central building of Randolph-Macon Woman's College on Rivermont Avenue in Lynchburg. Washington architect William F. Poindexter designed it as a single dormitory and classroom building that could grow with the college. Construction ran from 1891 to 1911: the entrance tower and eastern wings came first, further western wings followed in 1896 and 1899, and an annex was added at the rear in 1911. The red brick structure shows Queen Anne character through its picturesque massing, classical details, towers, bay windows and gabled rooflines. Poindexter visited several leading women's colleges before drawing his plans. The college opened in 1893 with 78 students and became known for its faculty and academic standing. Arcades link the hall to two later buildings of 1903 and 1906. Main Hall is considered significant as an outstanding Queen Anne design adapted to a college and for its role in the education of women. It still serves as the heart of the campus.","period_of_significance":"1891-1936","architect_builder":"William F. Poindexter","architectural_style":"Queen Anne, adapted to collegiate architecture","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in excellent condition and occupied, still serving as a dormitory, offices, classrooms and dining space; the old second-floor chapel is used for storage.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:57.867595-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/67/6817/41681767/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/79003285.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79003285/2ffd97d3fc-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79003285/2ffd97d3fc-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Pubdog (talk)","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Randolph_Macon_Main_Hall_Nov_08-1.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Pubdog (talk)</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Randolph_Macon_Main_Hall_Nov_08-1.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41681767","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Hall,_Randolph_College","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6735976"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/lynchburg/main-hall-randolph-macon-womens-college-79003285/"}