Hanshill
Also known as: Rough House; Camp Suhling; Camp Merry Minglers; VDHR No. 005-5329
Why it's listed
Hanshill is a summer retreat of about 88 acres in Amherst County, Virginia, between Madison Heights and Elon. Its centerpiece is a one-and-a-half-story Rustic Revival house built in 1925 for Mary Leigh Suhling and designed by the Lynchburg firm Clark & Crowe. Board-and-batten siding, log porch posts, stick railings, a fieldstone fireplace and hand-wrought iron hardware give it the look of a national park lodge, and the interior remains remarkably close to the original drawings. Nearby stand servants quarters, a bunkhouse garage, a tennis court, and Rough House, a nineteenth-century log cabin later enlarged. In 1918 to 1922 the land hosted a Young Women's Christian Association summer camp, drawing hundreds of girls and working women from Lynchburg groups and factories. A concrete spring box, the cabin and the tennis court remain from that era. The property was listed for its architecture, its social history and its role in recreation, with a period of significance from 1910 to 1935.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is significant under Criteria A and C for social history, entertainment/recreation and architecture. The house is a well-preserved Rustic Revival design by the Lynchburg firm Clark & Crowe, and the land hosted a Y.W.C.A. summer camp from 1918 to 1922. The Suhling family also used the grounds for recreation, including a long-used tennis court.
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 11000715, listed September 29, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 142 Leftwich Rd., Madison Heights |
|---|---|
| County | Amherst County |
| Listed | September 29, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000715 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1910-1935 |
| Architect / builder | Clark, Pendleton S.; Crowe, Walter R.; Merkey, Clyde Adrian (Clark & Crowe of Lynchburg designed the house) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and Early 20th Century Revivals: Rustic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house interior is described as essentially unaltered from the 1925 plans; the property remains a family seasonal residence with outbuildings. |
| Acreage | 87.7 |
| Coordinates | 37.47389, -79.15502 (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 11000715.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712471
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.