Turner-LaRowe House
Why it's listed
Built in 1892 for Mary P. Turner on land from her late husband's estate, this 2½-storey brick house sits at the corner of University Court and 15th Street in Charlottesville. It faces south toward the University of Virginia. The irregular plan has projecting bays, a high hip roof of standing-seam metal, pedimented dormers and gables, and two verandas, one with Eastlake posts and one with Tuscan columns. Leaded stained glass lights the main stair and several other windows, and every room has a fireplace with a Victorian mantel. From 1913 it was home to John S. LaRowe, a billiard parlor owner and the University's boxing coach, who trained national champions and Olympic contestants. It was later divided into apartments. The house was recognized as one of the city's earliest late Victorian buildings and one of the few that kept its original character without heavy alteration.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as one of the first examples of late Victorian architecture in Charlottesville and one of the few Victorian houses in the city without extensive alteration. It is noted for its stained glass. It was also the home of Johnny LaRowe, a local billiard parlor owner and University of Virginia boxing coach. A reviewer's comments describe it as a local example of Queen Anne, Eastlake and Colonial Revival details.
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 83003275, listed August 10, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1 University Court, Charlottesville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Charlottesville |
| Listed | August 10, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003275 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian (with Queen Anne, Eastlake and Colonial Revival details noted by the reviewer) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Survey records condition as fair in 1980. It was later divided into five apartments, and in one survey version was being rehabilitated as a sorority house. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Rugby Road-University Corner Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.03796, -78.49829 (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.
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 83003275.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902125
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.