Oak Hill
Why it's listed
Oak Hill, a farm estate south of Delaplane in Fauquier County, Virginia, consists of two distinct houses joined by a one-story passage. The earlier is a five-bay, one-and-a-half-story frame farmhouse that Colonel Thomas Marshall built after buying the tract in 1773. The later house, added in 1819, is a two-story temple-form Federal building of stuccoed brick with a pedimented gable and an elliptical fanlight. Chief Justice John Marshall lived here from the time the first house was built until his marriage in 1783, received the property from his father in 1785, and kept a close interest in it afterward. He had the second house built for his son Thomas. Later Marshall descendants held the estate until it left the family after 1864. Much of the original interior woodwork survives, including mantels, cornices and paneled doors. Kitchen, smokehouse and slave quarters stand east of the houses, with barns beyond, and the property remains a working farm facing the Blue Ridge.
Significance in brief: The estate was the country seat of Chief Justice John Marshall, who lived there as a young man and kept an active interest in it throughout his life. The older house is a rare example of a Fauquier County Colonial farmhouse, and the later house is a dignified late-Federal dwelling. Nearly all of the original detailed interior woodwork in both survives.
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 73002013, listed June 18, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2.2 mi. S of Delaplane, Delaplane |
|---|---|
| County | Fauquier County |
| Listed | June 18, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002013 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Fauquier County Colonial farmhouse (original house); temple-form Federal (later house) |
| Areas of significance | Law, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in good condition, altered, on its original site, and maintained as a working farm and private residence. |
| Acreage | 100 |
| Coordinates | 38.88874, -77.90215 (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 73002013.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7073557
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.