Eldridge, Bowling, House
Also known as: Ridgecrest; VDHR File No. 41-81
Why it's listed
Ridgecrest, also known as the Bowling Eldridge House, is a two-story frame plantation house built in the 1820s in southwestern Halifax County, Virginia. It has a gable roof with metal sheathing, beaded weatherboard siding, brick end chimneys, a two-story rear ell and a five-bay front. Inside, a single-pile center-passage plan holds a stair with carved scrolls, elaborate door surrounds, reeded and linen-fold chair rails and Federal mantels. The house was recognized for this fine Federal-style detailing and as a good example of an 1820s plantation house. Eldridge's farm once covered nearly 1,000 acres; the house now sits on 0.43 acres surrounded by clearcut land. After a century of absentee ownership and decades of vacancy, the foundation and framing have deteriorated. The nomination proposes dismantling the house, restoring it under the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and re-erecting it on a seven-acre site in Bedford County.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C for its fine Federal-style exterior design and interior millwork, and as a good example of an 1820s plantation house. It retains most of its original fabric, including the stair, mantels, chair rails and door surrounds. The relocation request argues that its architectural value survives a change of setting.
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 93000824, listed August 12, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1651 Fox Hill Rd., Lynchburg |
|---|---|
| County | Bedford (city and county) |
| Listed | August 12, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000824 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820's |
| Architect / builder | unknown |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as essentially unoccupied for 60-80 years and in a state of disrepair, with a deteriorated brick foundation and termite and water damage. The owners plan to restore it and move it to a new site. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 36.69813, -79.12866 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 93000824.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712054
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.