Langhorne House
Also known as: Gwynn Apartments; VDHR file no. 108-0064
Why it's listed
Built around 1874 for Nancy and Chiswell Dabney Langhorne, this Danville house at 117 Broad Street began as a one-story dwelling and gained a second story with an Italianate bracketed cornice about 1878. Nancy Langhorne, later Lady Astor and the first woman to sit in the British Parliament, was born in its first-floor southwest room in 1879. In 1921 the house was moved back from its original site, enlarged, given a two-tier Classical Revival porch and converted to apartments. On May 5, 1922, Lady Astor spoke to about 5,000 people from that porch during a tour promoting women's causes and Anglo-American friendship. Newspapers across the country covered the visit, and it remains a point of civic pride. The Lady Astor Preservation Trust bought the property in 1988 and restored it in 1990 to its 1922 appearance. The first floor now interprets the lives of Astor and her sister Irene Langhorne Gibson, while two upstairs apartments remain.
Significance in brief: The house is the birthplace of Lady Nancy Langhorne Astor, the first woman to sit in the British Parliament. It is significant under Criterion A for her celebrated homecoming visit in 1922, when she addressed a crowd of 5,000 from its porch. The visit was widely reported and still evokes civic pride in Danville.
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 05001586, listed February 1, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 117 Broad St., Danville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Danville |
| Listed | February 1, 2006 |
| Reference number | 05001586 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1922 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1990 to its 1922 appearance; the first floor is a museum interpreting Astor and Irene Langhorne Gibson, and two upstairs apartments were retained. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Within district | Danville Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 36.58008, -79.40321 (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 05001586.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15241536
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.