Spencer, Anne, House
Why it's listed
Anne Spencer's home at 1313 Pierce Street in Lynchburg, Virginia, is a modest Queen Anne-style house with shingled walls, a hipped metal roof, a long porch and a pergola with a checkered floor. Behind it lies a narrow garden she laid out, with a goldfish pond and a small shingled cottage, called Edankraal, where she wrote. Her husband, Edward Spencer, built most of the house and the cottage, and the couple moved in during 1903. Anne Spencer lived there until her death in 1975. A lyric poet whose work appeared in major anthologies, she was also a librarian at Dunbar High School. At a time when Black travelers had few public accommodations in the South, the house welcomed visitors such as James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, W.E.B. DuBois and George Washington Carver. Its furnishings, books and mementoes remain as she left them, giving the house and study unusual value as a literary site.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as the home of Anne Spencer (1881-1975), a lyric poet, cultural leader and humanitarian. It was a gathering place for prominent Black writers, musicians and civil rights leaders. The house, garden and study survive almost unchanged, with furnishings and mementoes left as she had them.
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 76002224, listed December 6, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1313 Pierce St., Lynchburg (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Lynchburg |
| Listed | December 6, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002224 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Largely built by Edward Spencer |
| Architectural style | Modified Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well maintained and in good condition, and virtually unchanged since Mrs. Spencer's occupancy; the garden has been neglected since her death and the garage has been demolished. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 37.40388, -79.15193 (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 76002224.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4768813
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.