Idlewild
Also known as: Downman House
Why it's listed
Idlewild is a brick Gothic Revival house on a hilltop in Fredericksburg, Virginia, now surviving as a fire-damaged ruin. Builder James Tongue constructed it in 1859 for William Yates Downman and his wife Mary, at the center of a 222-acre farm worked by enslaved people. A fire in April 2003 destroyed most of the interior and the slate roof, but the thick brick walls, chimneys, English basement and much of the wraparound veranda remain, and the walls are braced with steel. Three brick outbuildings, likely a servants' quarters, smokehouse and dairy, stand behind the house, along with a family pet cemetery. The property matters chiefly for the Civil War. During the Chancellorsville campaign on May 4, 1863, Union troops held the ground around the house and Confederate forces swept past it. That evening General Robert E. Lee made it his headquarters. Vacant since 1989, it is the last surviving Civil War dwelling on the high ground west of the city.
Significance in brief: The property is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of military history for its role in the 1863 Chancellorsville campaign. Troops fought around the house on May 4, 1863, and Confederate General Robert E. Lee used it as his headquarters on May 4-5. It is also noted as the last surviving Civil War dwelling on the high ground west of Fredericksburg.
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 09000415, listed June 8, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1501 Gateway Blvd., Fredericksburg |
|---|---|
| County | Fredericksburg |
| Listed | June 8, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000415 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1859-1865 |
| Architect / builder | Tongue, James (builder) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The house was gutted by fire in April 2003 and is vacant and braced with steel beams and wood supports in anticipation of restoration; the three brick outbuildings were not damaged by the fire. |
| Acreage | 6.6 |
| Coordinates | 38.29080, -77.50536 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
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 09000415.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15227920
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.