Mount Ida
Also known as: Vdhr 02-2202; former 14-115
Why it's listed
Mount Ida is a plantation house dating from about 1785 to 1805, built in Buckingham County, Virginia, and now standing near Scottsville in Albemarle County. The two-story, wood-frame dwelling began as a single-pile, side-passage house with a large west parlor, a smaller wing and probably another room to the east, and later grew into a more complex plan. Its chief distinction is the west parlor, where the fully paneled fireplace wall combines monumental scale with delicate carving and is described as a masterpiece of joinery. The contrast with the plainer rooms shows the importance the owner placed on impressing visitors. Later owners included David Ross, a Richmond milling and mining figure, and the Leitch family. The house was left to deteriorate, and its outbuildings fell into ruin. A preservation-minded buyer dismantled it in 1995 and rebuilt it on a hilltop site near the Hardware River, following documentation and archaeological testing. Federal officials allowed it to stay listed during the move.
Significance in brief: The form singles out the extraordinary woodwork of the west parlor, where a fully paneled fireplace wall is described as a masterpiece of joinery and ornamental woodcarving. The parlor's elaborate treatment contrasts sharply with the rest of the house, signalling the owner's social standing. The documents also record the house's relocation, approved to save it from deterioration, and its ownership history.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 87000624, listed April 27, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | East of VA 795, about 4 mi. N of Scottsville, Scottsville |
|---|---|
| County | Albemarle County |
| Listed | April 27, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000624 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Dismantled in 1995-96 and reassembled as the centerpiece of a farm along the Hardware River in Albemarle County; remains a single-dwelling residence. |
| Acreage | 433 |
| Within district | Southern Albemarle Rural Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.84880, -78.48976 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 87000624.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.