Virginia Manor
Why it's listed
Virginia Manor, first known as Glengyle, sits on a hill above the James River near Natural Bridge Station. It began about 1800 as a two-story log house. In 1856 a Greek Revival frame house was built across it, and the log section became a rear wing. Later owners added bay-windowed side wings, an Eastlake-style stair and Victorian mantels and wainscot. The estate keeps a full set of support buildings, including a stable, tenants' house, spring house, barn, and a two-story playhouse. General Fitzhugh Lee lived here in the early 1890s while heading the Rockbridge Land Company, a failed land development scheme. In 1897 the property passed to the family of George W. Stevens, president of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad from 1900 to 1920. Stevens used it as a summer retreat and had a rail spur, a concrete waiting station and a telegraph room installed. The nominated area also includes a dam and a stone canal boat-lock from the 1850s.
Significance in brief: The house is considered architecturally significant as one of a select group of Rockbridge County estates that grew from a simple vernacular structure into a high-style country manor, keeping earlier sections while adding Greek Revival and Eastlake elements. It is also associated with General Fitzhugh Lee, who headquartered the Rockbridge Land Company there, and with George W. Stevens, president of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad from 1900 to 1920, who made it his country estate.
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 87001549, listed September 10, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 130, Natural Bridge |
|---|---|
| County | Rockbridge County |
| Listed | September 10, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001549 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1920 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, Greek Revival and Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Transportation, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied and in use as a private residence, in good condition and altered. |
| Acreage | 33 |
| Coordinates | 37.61820, -79.48662 (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 87001549.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16902757
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.